Veterans Day Filled With Honor And Rememberence
Members of the Oskaloosa Honor Guard perform a 21-gun salute on Thursday in honor of Veterans Day.
November 11, 2021
Oskaloosa, Iowa – Veterans Day 2021 was filled with honor for those who have served our country in the armed forces.
On the square in Oskaloosa, members of the Oskaloosa Honor Guard raised the colors at the Mahaska County Courthouse and held a short observance with a 21-gun salute.
On the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, an armistice was signed between the Allied nations and Germany. It would not be until June 28, of 1919, that the Treaty of Versailles was signed, officially ending the “The Great War.” So November 11th became the marking point of those recognized as the end of “the war to end all wars.”
In November 1919, Then President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…”
The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.
Local businesses donated meals to veterans, and local schools held special programs with invited veterans as honored guests and guest speakers.
Julie Wells was one such speaker in Oskaloosa, where she spoke about her fellow veterans.
Wells remembers arriving at her first duty station on July 25th, 1990, and within seven days, Iraq had invaded Kuwait. “My unit was put on alert. We began extensive training on desert warfare and preparing for chemical attacks.”
“Here I was. I just turned 18. I was scared. I was unsure,” remembers Wells. “My unit landed in Saudi Arabia on August 29th, [1990].”
“We spent months there. After that, it was called Operation Desert Shield, but eventually, the war officially started, and it was called Operation Desert Storm, or as you may know it, the Gulf War.”
Wells added that it was the largest number of female service members ever deployed in US history at the time. “Over 40,000.”
“There were 383 casualties. Sixteen of which were women,” Wells added. “The impact this war had on the role women played in the military was unprecedented.”
“To be clear, women have always played a hugely supportive role during the war, but the actual deployment of this many women in the military was new. While not actually in combat jobs, women were in combat situations,” shared Wells, who’s unit experienced the same attacks as their male counterparts.
“Today, I would like to ask you just to take a moment and rethink what your image of a woman is because women have served too,” challenged Wells to the students. “They are not just men and women, but a group with many different nationalities and ethnic backgrounds.”
“Not everyone is meant for the military. Truly, we are all meant for service for taking care of one another,” challenged Wells to those gathered.
Referencing Fred Rogers, Wells encouraged those in attendance to be a helper, “to find the service that calls to you, and to do it.”
