Veteran’s Day – It’s Meaning to our Soldiers, Families, and Friends

9/11 Flag flying at the Mahaska County Courthouse

For the last week, I have pondered the question, “What does Veteran’s Day mean?” My immediate thoughts, like many other people I would guess, turned to military personnel who have died serving this great nation we live in. While it is important to remember these great men and women, that thought is not a true representation of the full meaning of Veteran’s Day.

Veteran’s Day began as “Armistice Day”. The end to World War I, the “war to end all wars”, came with the signing of an armistice in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month on November 11, 1918. In 1938, the U.S. Congress voted to make Armistice Day a National Holiday. In 1954, Congress changed the name of Armistice Day to Veteran’s Day, a day to honor all veterans past and present who have served in the U.S. military. Today, Veteran’s Day remains a national holiday, a day to remember and honor those who have served.

In my search for the meaning of Veteran’s Day, I spoke with multiple people. Some have served in the military, others have served as family of military members, while still others are U.S. citizens who honor these military members. In this search, I have found one theme that runs through each of their thoughts on Veteran’s Day. It is that Veteran’s Day is a day to remember, honor, and thank those who have and continue to serve this nation.

Col. Todd Jacobus, a current member of the Iowa National Guard, who served in Ramadi, Iraq with the 224th Engineer Battalion stated, “Veterans Day to me is an opportunity… an opportunity for the American people to thank those who have separated themselves from the rest of American citizens, given up some personal freedoms and comforts in order to defend this Country, and the Constitution. Veterans include those who served honorably for 2 years, and those have served 40+ years. We celebrate Veterans Day, like we do other holidays again and again – because it is important to remember, to never forget.”

Kaanan Mackey’s husband, Matt, served multiple tours overseas. He was a member of the Marine Corp. before joining the Iowa National Guard. Matt passed away three years ago after an accident that occurred on his way home from drill.

Kaanan shared her thoughts on Veterans Day, “First, Thank You to all the Veterans past and present and the families that love and support them! From every past war to the present day wars, each is a hero. All took the same oaths and wrote the same blank checks for their lives give and ensure the freedoms we have.

As a widow, who has spent her entire adult life as a wife of a Service Member; I have learned a whole different respect for people in uniform than I did as a civilian and I wanted to share what these things now mean to me. There is no greater brotherhood, than watching one soldier take care of another. I think of being in the hospital with my own husband. 3 of his soldiers stayed with us the entire time, and more visited every day. Though he was knocked out after a few days. They stood over him and talked to him, joked with him, and even read him Maxim magazine (the nurses were not so happy about that part). That is family! Symbolic things as a wife of a soldier and even more so as a widow mean so much more now. When you hear the Star Spangled Banner and see a Flag flying in the air; there is a whole different feeling of Honor, Respect, and Sacrifice that is felt. There is a saying, “The flag does not fly because the wind moves it. The American Flag flies because of the last breath of every service member who died defending it.” Every single Service member sacrifices something in service to their country…it starts with a blank check on their lives to make sure the rest of us can live ours free and it ends with an American Flag draped coffin. As a widow, when we see a “Battle Cross” the feeling of true sacrifice falls over me, because another battle has fought his last fight and I think of all the guys that have had to kneel before it and say their good-bye’s. When Taps are played, there is an overwhelming sensation that still makes me want to drop to my knees and cry, and fights back to tears of all the service members lost along the way to ensure the freedoms we take for granted every day “Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky All is well, Safely rest, God is neigh”. A 21 gun salute fired or it’s actually a 3 volley salute, normally 7 soldiers fire 3 rounds for Duty, Honor, and Country. The sounds will never fade from the families mind, or the soldiers. The greatest symbol; a folded flag being handed over to the family, that is what you have left from a grateful nation for your soldier’s sacrifices.

So the only words of wisdom I have for all of you is please Thank the Troops, not just on Veteran’s Day but every day. Because of them we have this great nation, because of them we don’t speak German, and because of the blood EACH are willing to shed for YOU to keep the freedoms we hold dear. All have sacrificed and many will continue to sacrifice! There is not a person that wears a uniform that doesn’t sacrifice for their country. Whether it is time away from their family and missing events or holidays, the wounded that have visible scar’s from war, or the ones with invisible wounds suffering from PTSD. Having friends from someone who sits at a desk to friends that spend more time in a foreign land than they do at home makes no difference. They all serve and they all sacrifice, and deserve to be respected and thanked. Remember Freedom doesn’t come Free! THIS is what my families SACRIFICE for my country means to me!”

Alexis Mackey is the daughter of Matt and Kaanan Mackey. She has been a military child her entire life and gives her thoughts on Veteran’s Day, “I’ve been a military child all my life and I didn’t really realize the importance or Veterans Day until I lost my father. I didn’t realize until he died how strong the bonds between soldiers are, because when he died I got a bunch of new family that help take care of us and help remember my dad. Veterans Day is a day to thank all who have risked and lost there lives protecting us. I thank the veterans by laying wreaths out at Arlington. As a kid it is overwhelming to see hills and hills of white stones of the people who gave everything for our freedom.”

Ken Carter shared his views on the meaning of Veteran’s Day, “Veteran’s Day means remembering those brave men and women who have served. We celebrate by thanking those who are still with us and praying for those who died in our stead to purchase our freedom and security.”