Veterans Day is a day to recognize and honor those who served in the Armed Forces. Retired Sergeant First Class Allen Barton spends each Veterans Day thinking about his time in service and remembering those he served with. Allen was enlisted in the U.S. Army on active duty and in the Army Reserve for 23 years.
Recalling a time when he was first stationed at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in South Korea, Allen felt unprepared in his new role. He was recently made Platoon Sergeant with an engineering company. One soldier was causing him problems. When a 1st sergeant (1SG) came for an inspection, they started by going to this particular soldier’s room. The soldier was angry at the intrusion, and when the 1SG asked this soldier if he wanted him in his room, the soldier swore and replied that he did. Surprisingly, the 1SG promptly left the room. While walking to the next room to inspect, the 1SG told Allen something he considers a precious life lesson: “Never punish someone when you ask them a question, and they give you an honest answer.” Allen is grateful for his time in uniform, saying it made him who he is today.
Origin of Veterans Day
In 2022, there were over 16 million veterans like Allen living in the United States. Veterans Day, a day that commemorates veterans of all wars, holds a significant place in American History. Originally known as Armistice Day.
- Armistice Day marked the end of fighting on the Western Front of the First World War (WWI).
- Armistice Day was on the 11th month of the 11th day, at the 11th hour in 1918.
- In 1921, the burial of an unknown WWI American soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, as well as other burials in England and France, were memorial gestures that took place on November 11th.
It wasn’t until 1954 that Congress passed a bill signed by President Eisenhower that proclaimed November 11th as Veterans Day, making this day important to Americans. This day serves as a reminder to “…commit themselves to the cause of peace and to honor America’s veterans for their courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice”. Great Britain, France, Australia, and Canada also commemorate veterans of WWI and World War Two (WWII) on or near November 11th.
Public Health Significance
The service and well-being of veterans are essential to our society. That is why, the federal government formalized the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) into a cabinet-level agency in 1988. It is now the second largest federal department in the country. The VA includes the VA Health Administration which oversees the hundreds of VA medical centers across the country that serves millions of veterans annually. The VA does not do it alone and takes a population-based, public health approach by working with thousands of local community agencies around the country to provide healthcare, housing, employment support, and other social services to veterans and their significant others.
Meaning of Veterans Day
For Allen, Veteran’s Day is a time of reflection. Thinking of the men and women he served with and his experiences in uniform. Histori
cally, Veterans Day is meant to honor veteran’s service and sacrifice and reaffirm our commitment to peace. On November 11th, 2024, I encourage you to take a moment and imagine what the world might look like without our veterans and respect their sacrifice. Veterans don’t all appreciate the same kinds of recognition. Take time this November 11th to ask a veteran how to best honor their service. Listen to the stories they are willing to share about when they were in uniform. Engaging with veterans shows appreciation. It fosters an understanding of what it means to serve Americans in the mission of democracy and peace.