On November 12, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson declared the first Armistice Day to commemorate the end of the first World War. Nineteen years later, Congress officially made the eleventh day of the eleventh month of every year a holiday "to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated" In 1954 that holiday officially became known as Veterans Day, which we celebrated by taking a day off from school, work and The New Hampshire.
But today we return, with a belated look at veteran-related stories from around Durham. In the world of daily newspapers, Veterans Day is often regarded as a "non-story" or one that is nearly identical every year. Still, there are many communities across the country - large and small - that hold parades, ceremonies and memorials to honor the men and women who have served their country.
But in the years that have passed since Veterans Day was establish the public perception of American soldiers has changed. From the honor and parades of World War II to the protests and hostility of Vietnam, vets of past wars have always been met with some kind of strong emotional greeting. But in the wars of the twentieth century, there is a kind of disconnect between modern veterans and their families and the greater public.
This could be based on number of things. New Hampshire has a smaller vet population than most states and as college students, most of us have not considered the military as a career path. And while it is not uncommon for UNH students to be related to or know people serving in the military, it is also just as likely to meet people who have no close connections to Iraq or Afghanistan.
No matter how connected you are to the war however, or your feelings on the wars, all veterans deserve our respect, both on the holidays set aside for them and throughout the rest of the year. We believe that you can support the troops without supporting the mission and recognize, as we believe the rest of the country does, that blame for the mistakes and failures in these wars rests with the leadership in Washington and not with the troops on the ground.
If President-elect Barack Obama holds true to his promises, many members of the military will be coming home in 2009 and 2010 (while others will be deployed on other missions). There will be discussions and stories about "completing the mission" and "retreating with honor" and there is a great possibility of hard feelings. As these days come, we should work hard to prepare and accommodate the veterans that are coming home, to make sure that there is an established and functioning support system at our school and in our communities.
Be the first to comment on this article!