Whatever the form of commemoration on this day, we set Veterans Day aside to honor our veterans. That is the second question to ask. Here again you may be surprised at the answers you get. A veteran is anyone who fought in one of the world wars or in Korea or Vietnam or the Gulf. I'm not sure if we count Panama or Somalia.
Many people do think of veterans as individuals who fought in a war.
They paid the ultimate sacrifice of putting their lives on the line and of facing the horrors of war. They saw their comrades die around them and possibly suffered injury that continues to affect them today. They deserve our honor and our thanks. Yet, let's not be ashamed of, or even discount in some small way, the accomplishments of all of us who stayed back in the garrisons and training fields in America. We also served, yet in ways that don't grab headlines.