Nov 11, 2025
Kirk Miller
The day begins for those who wore the uniform of this country with a series of elevens.
At 11 a.m. on the 11th of November, which is the 11th month of the year, veterans will gather at different places to celebrate their prior service. With the joy that they came home, and that the war they fought, or the duty they completed was over.
History tells us that the date chosen as representative of the millions of veterans was taken from a single moment in 1918. It was Armistice Day. A time in which the two sides of the First World War in Europe would declare an end to all fighting. The Germans met with Allied commanders to call a truce (Armistice) to stop the bloodshed of a very lengthy and brutal war. Several months later on June 28, of 1919 the Treaty of Versailles was signed accepting the Germans actual surrender.
Since the jubilant day in November those many years ago, American men and women have taken the call and put on Army or Marine green, Navy white, and Airforce blue. For so many times they have stepped into battle in foreign lands or on the high seas. That celebration ignited from a lone event was now looked upon to represent all former service men and women from all wars and conflicts. And as we reached the few years when America was at peace with nations around the globe, we took those serving in that era into consideration as well.
Recognition was needed. Those who served deserved respect. They completed what a vast majority of their countrymen refused to do. For two wars in the 1950s and 1960s men were sent to battle by force.
The government would create a draft that called for the registration of any adult male between the age of 18 and 26. Whether they wanted to or not they were enlisted by lottery into one of the armed services. Some embraced the duty out of patriotism and others merely completed their tour to comply. No matter what their conviction they are represented here as veterans who stood against the opposition of American Freedom and defended their country.
The wars our country has fought were long. They were costly in many ways. Our sons and daughters of the military earned a place above an ordinary citizen. Perhaps they were in the trenches along the Maginot line. Maybe they were battling Japanese on the islands of the pacific like Guadalcanal.
Could be they marched toward fierce German tanks in the deserts of Africa. I am sure they were the courageous ones who survived the brutal winter of Korea.
Most of the men and women who lived those lives and returned to the safety of our shores are now gone. Their actions left only in history that talked about their sacrifice. But surviving is the oldest and largest group left from an old conventional war. The many who braved the jungles of Vietnam.
The first soldiers to be recognized as being poisoned by their service. So many of these veterans turned a blind eye for many years, while anti war sentiment cooled its anger in hometown America. These vets came home and were not even embraced by the fellow veterans of previous wars. They were looked at for their different appearance and their animosity towards the people that showed them hatred.
On top of this phenomenon, they bore the hidden scars of Agent Orange and other toxins. But as time passed, they were brought into the respected clan of our nation’s veterans. We accepted a few years of using our military might to enforce peace and prosperity in other places, we ousted dictators, secured human rights and defended the oppressed.
The warriors of this era are also honored veterans. Just when we thought our job was pretty much complete, a smell of jealousy and religious difference was peeking its ugly head in several places. Our new military complete with new technology would draw a line in the sand after observing our homeland come under attack.
Our new rookie soldiers and sailors with help from the marines and the air support would make quick work of dispatching tyrants in the middle east. A search for the culprits of the attack that saw thousands killed on our own soil would become extended for years and the war on terrorism would become the longest campaign in United States military history. With less forces than used in previous wars these men and women were utilized in a more repetitive fashion. Many of them, being career military, wound up serving multiple tours in the land of sand. They too were subjected to toxic fall out, and they experienced a higher influx of mental trauma from the type of combat they experienced.
And these brave souls came back to a hero’s welcome after we learned from the past. The modern soldier will most likely stay in the military versus leaving to look for hard to find jobs or difficulty maintaining their finances in a world where money is being used as political grenades. Unfortunately, our soldiers have never been trained in how to fight against that.
So, as I say every Veterans Day, thank those you know who served, go out of your way to do so. Don’t let it end on this day, continue to the next and farther. If you are the one who hires for your company, hire a veteran who probably has a young family of mouths to feed. If you have the opportunity, give testimony of the character of a veteran you might know to help them receive what they richly deserve. Amazing how this day has evolved, how it is so inspiring to see our fellow citizens stand up and thank the person who defended the American way of life. And it all started with an agreement to stop the killing. What once was just an armistice, is now a day of rejoice for the men and women who once were our bravest warriors.
The American Legion does their part by upholding our Four Pillars of Duty. We honor our veterans, support their families, and aid our community. We defend the constitution of the United States of America. Within those pillars and providing the strength to keep them erect are the veterans and their family members. Dedicated individuals who commit to helping their neighbors. From our family to yours, happy Veterans’ Day neighbor!
Kirk L. Miller, is past commander of the Chautauqua County American Legion, 8th District, Department of New York.
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