Guest columnist
Take time to thank those who defended this nation

By Terry Thomas
Special to The Times

Terry Thomas

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"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave."
— Elmer Davis (radio broadcaster, 1890-1958)

Veterans Day is upon us once again and it is particularly fitting, in the midst of an ongoing war, that we pause momentarily to reflect on the invaluable role the American military veteran has played and continues to play in creating, shaping and defending this great nation of ours, now in its 228th year.

The end of World War I was originally commemorated by Congress on June 4, 1926. Twelve years later, on May 13, 1938, an act of Congress established Nov. 11 as a legal holiday to be known as Armistice Day.

Subsequently, on June 1, 1954, following tremendous American sacrifices in World War II and Korea, the 1938 act was amended by replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans."

With the brief exception of 1968 to 1978, when the observance was held on Mondays, Veterans Day has been set aside each Nov. 11 for all Americans to quietly reflect upon and thank our veterans for their service and sacrifice to our great country.

The American military veteran, in particular, is a human treasure of incomparable sorts. Drawn from the vast and diverse well of American life, these seemingly average youths demonstrated the strength, will and tenacity to earn the right to proudly wear the uniform of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine, as well as that of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Public Health Service.

On their journey to adulthood, they sacrificed the creature comforts of home, risked life and limb, and sharpened, hardened and tested themselves beyond measure in both peace and war. They collectively protected and ensured the daily freedoms we often take for granted and made their countrymen proud by their efforts.

It is fitting then that we reflect upon their commitment and selflessness today, lest we forget them and their unbroken bond with our colonial forbears who first took up arms to secure our nation's liberty.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there are approximately 25 million veterans among us today. They are both young and old, and their service spans nearly a century. They have fought in distant lands or are recuperating in our veterans hospitals. They are teachers, cooks, doctors and students. They are business owners, firefighters, plumbers and scientists. They are pilots, police officers, store clerks and architects. They are every man and woman in every type of role imaginable, and they are genuine contributors to our cherished democracy.

Yes, in their humbler moments, they've learned to shine things that no one thought could ever be shined and how to clean things so clean you could eat off them. They've learned to mend their own clothes, iron perfect creases in their shirts and make beds so tight you could bounce a quarter off them. They've learned to march, fight, whistle a tune and eat things out of cans and boxes that no chef could ever aptly describe.

Yet, such mundane measures, as silly as they may seem to many, helped to instill in veterans the basic belief in the good that comes from hard work, pride and a willingness to sacrifice individuality for the sake of teamwork and to follow constructive rules rather than destructive habits.

Because of such experiences, veterans, more often than not, are usually happy to oblige an occasional story, lesson or humorous anecdote from their time in uniform to help spark our imagination, give comfort to our worry, or inspire us to dutiful and neighborly civic action.

Indeed, when one reflects upon the heralded history of our armed forces, it becomes easy to see why America's veterans have long been revered for not only overcoming life's adversities but also for their noble achievements in advancing the cause of freedom and liberty for both friend and foe alike.

Accordingly, we should seek them out and offer a heartfelt "thank you" for their service. Today, many will be thinking of times, places, sacrifices and comrades long gone. To know that their fellow countrymen are reflecting upon those same sacrifices, too, touches their hearts and reassures them that heavy personal prices, paid along the way, were well purchased for an appreciative and caring public.

Terry Thomas is a former U.S. Marine Corps major and combat veteran of the war in Iraq and currently serves on the board of the Seattle chapter of the Reserve Officers Association.