In case you didn’t know, today is Veteran’s Day.. Veteran’s Day seems to fall into that class of American holidays that typically includes one of the following activities: hanging with your buddies or family, eating or drinking way too much, catching up on chores or errands, or just plain relaxing and doing nothing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of those activities, as long as we don’t forget why we have this day, and who this day honors.
What Exactly is Veteran’s Day?
Veterans Day was originally called “Armistice Day”, and has always been celebrated on Nov. 11. This is to commemorate the first anniversary of the end of World War I which ended Nov. 11, 1919. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938.
What’s the Difference Between Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day?
Memorial Day (the fourth Monday in May) honors American service members who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle, while Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans–living or dead–but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.
Veteran’s Day Trivia:
- In 1954, President Eisenhower officially changed the name of the holiday from Armistice Day to Veterans Day.
- In 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill was passed by Congress, which moved the celebration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. The law went into effect in 1971, but in 1975 President Ford returned Veterans Day to November 11, due to the important historical significance of the date.
- Britain, France, Australia and Canada also commemorate the veterans of World Wars I and II on or near November 11th: Canada has Remembrance Day, while Britain has Remembrance Sunday (the second Sunday of November). In Europe, Britain and the Commonwealth countries it is common to observe two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. every November 11.
What does a Veteran Look Like?
The classical image of the American veteran seems to be the older man who proudly served his country during one of the “Great” wars. But did you know that veterans come from all different walks of life and in all different ages?
Sometimes veterans are older….
Sometimes veterans are younger….
Sometimes veterans are women….
Sometimes veterans span numerous generations….
Sometimes veterans are people we ignore on the streets….
What do ALL Veterans Have in Common? They all have served YOU….
How did Veterans Serve?
First and foremost our veterans protected our country and its’ values. They did this by putting their lives on the line everyday, in foreign countries, against enemies with little or no moral code or regard for human life. They willfully did this whether or not their efforts were appreciated by us or not.
But veterans did so much more than just fight the traditional battles.
They Provided Aid and Hope:
They Provided Smiles and Security:
They Provided Lollipops and a Small Piece of Happiness:
Why is it Important to Honor our Veterans?
There are so many ways to answer this question, but we will just focus on a few
1. Veterans fought for our freedoms and risked their lives whether or not we realized it or appreciated it.
2. Without the service of veterans we would not have the freedoms we have today.
3. Veterans have served ALL of us.
4. Many veterans struggle to adapt to regular life, get lost in “the system” or become homeless once they get back from their service.
Three Simple Ways to Honor a Veteran on Veteran’s Day:
Have you ever seen a soldier in uniform and wanted to go say “thank you” or something like that, but just didn’t quite have the nerve? Well problem solved my friends, below are a few simple things you can do to really show a veteran that you appreciate them on Veteran’s Day.
Veteran’s Day is great because so many Veteran’s go out there in their full uniforms, and this will make them really easy to spot. When you see a veteran in uniform please do at least one of the following:
1. The Obvious Play : Go up to the veteran, look them in the eyes, smile wide, shake their hand, and sincerely thank them for their service. This is an extremely cost effective way to let a veteran know how they are appreciated.
2. Buy a Veteran Lunch / Coffee : If you know a veteran invite them out to lunch / coffee; or if you see a vet while you are out and about, go up to that veteran and let them know you would like to pay for their meal / coffee. After that, look them in the eyes, smile wide, shake their hand, and sincerely thank them for their service.
3. Volunteer or Donate to the VA (U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs): Click this link for information on how to donate to the VA or how to volunteer in your specific state: http://www.volunteer.va.gov/apps/VolunteerNow/default.asp
I guarantee you that if you do any of those about three steps, you will have successfully honored a veteran on Veteran’s Day.
The Challenge
Find a way today to go out of your way to thank a veteran, you really are only called to do this once a year. So go find a veteran and please give them a hug, a handshake or a hamburger. I guarantee you that they will appreciate any gesture from the heart.
At Raven Crest Tactical we are honored to know many men and women who have served this country. Below are two special veterans that we would like to personally honor.
Lance Corporal Tyler Groth:
Meet Lance Corporal Tyler Groth, brother-in-law of company co-founder Nate Mirand. Tyler served 6 years total in the Marines, 4 years in reserve and 2 in active duty. Tyler is still serving his community daily as an active police officer. Tyler is also a husband and father of 4…..girls. When Tyler’s schedule permits he will travel and run shows for us. If you purchased a knife from us at the F.O.P convention, then you got a chance to meet Tyler. Tyler, thank you for your service to this country.
US Navy OS3 Operations Specialist Kelly Rae Pisano
Meet Mrs. Kelly Rae Pisano a very close friend of the Raven Crest family. Her official title is “US Navy OS3 Operations Specialist 3rd Class Petty Officer”. She was the 14th female on board the USS Nimitz and she server our country for 6 years. She is a wife, mother of 3 and small business owner. I know what you are thinking: “where did you guy’s get Demi Moore’s GI Jane’s stunt double?” she gets that a lot. In all serious though, Kelly Rae’s story is awesome, inspiring, and encouraging, but to share it would take almost a whole book. Let’s just say that whenever life hands Kelly Rae lemons she turns them into a filet mignon. Kelly Rae, thank you for your service to this country.
US Navy David Lane
Honoring David Lane, father-in-law of company co-founder Derek Jordan.
US Air Force Theodore McWethy
Honoring Theodore McWethy, grandfather of company co-founder Derek Jordan.
