Honoring Those That Have Served: Veterans Day
This year on Veterans Day, Tyto Athene wanted to find a way to take advantage of the opportunity to express our gratitude and admiration for those that have served. We decided to ask a few members of the Tyto Team to share with us the role that Veterans Day plays in their lives, how they celebrate the holiday and what it signifies to them.
Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day, is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11 honoring military veterans, that is, persons who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces (and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable). It coincides with Armistice Day and Remembrance Day which are celebrated in other countries and marks the anniversary of the end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. At the urging of major U.S. veteran organizations, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.
Veterans Day is distinct from Memorial Day, a federal holiday in May, though the two can be confused. Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day honors and remembers those who gave their lives for our country, particularly in battle or from wounds they suffered in battle. Veterans Day honors all of those who have served the country in war or peace — dead or alive — although it’s largely intended to thank living veterans for their sacrifices.
I celebrate Veterans Day by striking up a conversation with anyone I see wearing something related to the military branches of the United States of America. I thank them for the service they provided or the service they supported for a family member or friend. I like to thank all of those who have come before us and those that are currently serving and those that are going to serve in the future.
– Darby Noonan
What does Veterans Day mean to me? It means freedom. It means being proud of your country, and proud to be an American.
Millions of American’s have put their lives on the front line to ensure a better life in their homeland, and for those who reside in it. Veterans are our everyday heroes. They are ones we look up to and idolize for their selflessness. Veterans are the brave persons who have committed themselves to preserving our country, and what it stands for.
My grandfather served in the Korean War, and in the Vietnam War. He retired from the Army as a CSM (Command Sergeant Major) and was given the Bronze Star. He was one of the fortunate ones who made it home and spent many years watching his family grow. We are the fortunate ones who were able to learn from him and spend as much time as we could with him. He passed away in 2007 but had many enjoyable years in the country he fought so hard for.
This is what Veterans Day means to me.
– Makenna Brown
Veterans Day to me is a time to reflect and honor all of our Veterans for their service, sacrifice and commitment. Having family members that have served, I recognize and appreciate that our freedom is because of our veterans who selflessly ensure that remains a fundamental truth.
– Ann Clenney
My grandfather, David Whitlock, graduated high school in 1945 near the end of World War II and enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving on an LST in the Pacific theater. After his service, he returned to Pennsylvania where he and my grandmother married and lived happily for 61 years. He worked for over 30 years for the West Penn Power Company, much of that time as a “meter reader.” When I think about the ways large and small that his generation made our modern American lives possible, I am overwhelmed. His great-grandson and namesake, David Whitlock “Whit” Honnoll, is one of my Mississippi nephews. We honor our veterans so that young men like Whit will also know and remember the value of service.
– Jeff Whitlock
President Wilson declared November 11, 1919, as the first Armistice Day and stated, “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.”
On this day, as we must every single day, we honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve for the common good. I have the incredible honor of being surrounded by veterans, at home, at work, as family members, neighbors and as friends. The decision of a family member to enter into military service is not one to be taken lightly, nor is it an easy burden to bear. It comes with not only tremendous responsibilities but great sacrifices. My wife is a U.S. Army veteran and my son is Second Lieutenant with the USAF Cyber Command. Words will never be enough to thank my wife and son, and our veterans, for their selfless actions in making the decision to serve our country, their courage during active duty, and their commitment to our communities when they return home. And while they’ve already given a selfless gift to our nation, they continue serving our communities long after they take off their uniforms.
– Nikolay Valov
