Throughout our history, millions of American men and women have chosen to serve their fellow citizens in the US military where they willingly gave their time, talents, and even their lives to protect our cherished freedoms. On Veterans Day, we pause to honor these patriots.
World War I ended at 11AM on November 11, 1918. The next year, President Woodrow Wilson declared the Armistice Day holiday to commemorate that peace. Armistice Day became a national holiday in 1938 and, in 1954, that holiday was renamed Veterans Day.
America’s acknowledgment and appreciation for veterans existed long before the 20th Century, however. For example, Abraham Lincoln acknowledged an 1864 victory with these words:
I am indeed very grateful to the brave men who have been struggling with the enemy in the field, to their noble commanders who have directed them, and especially to our Maker….we should, above all, be very grateful to Almighty God, Who gives us victory.
George Washington, American General and the first President of our nation, discussed the importance of providing veterans benefits:
It was a part of their [the soldiers’] hire, I may be allowed to say, it was the price of their blood and of your Independency, it is therefore more than a common debt, it is a debt of honour, it can never be considered as a pension or gratuity.
Since our freedom is protected by these brave men and women and is “a debt of honor” we owe to them, we encourage you to remember America’s heroes! Make this day special by thanking a veteran for his or her service, by attending a Veterans Day parade, or by visiting veterans at a local nursing home (where tragically, many have been abandoned or have no family members remaining). And, of course, remember to pray for our military members and their families.
