Remember the veterans

To the Editor:

Veterans Day is a day of national remembrance -- a special occasion to honor all men and women, present and past, who took up arms in defense of America.

On Veterans Day, ceremonies and observances will be held across the nation, and each of them can trace their origins to the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the year 1918 -- when the guns of World War I were silenced.

Veterans Day, or "Armistice Day" as it was once known, was first celebrated in 1919 -- a day set aside to remember the soldiers who lost their lives fighting what was thought to be "the war to end all wars."

Now -- eighty years and many conflicts later -- we continue the solemn tradition of paying tribute to American veterans who wore the uniforms of our Armed Forces. Their commitment to the nation -- no matter where or when they served -- was guided by one enduring American principle: freedom. Their legacy is our country's strength and security, our liberty, and our way of life. We are the beneficiaries of their determination to uphold the democratic beliefs on which our nation was founded.

From the beleaguered patriots encamped at Valley Forge to those in the trenches of World War I...from "the greatest generation" of World War II...to the ones who fought the cold and a determined foe in Korea...from those who fought in the humid paddies of Vietnam...to the warriors of Desert Storm and Kosovo...from all peace-time veterans whose mere presence was a deterrent to unknown possibilities...to the latest veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq - each generation has contributed to the freedoms we all enjoy. Each generation has done its part to leave as its legacy to the next generation a strong and free America.

Since the tumultuous days of our battle for independence, over 50 million men and women have stepped forward to answer their nation's call. Nearly 1.5 million have been wounded, and almost 1.2 million lost their lives.

We know all wars exact a costly toll. Their price is paid in lives cut short or forever altered, families bereft, and human stories untold. Many of our nearly 22 million living Veterans carry with them indelible memories of sacrifices made, battles fought, and friends lost.

Our country owes veterans a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. It is our duty to remember the sacrifices they've made and to make certain that our national commitments to them and to their families are honored. That duty is most especially important to those of us at the Department of Veterans Affairs who are privileged to serve Veterans every day.

In 1865, President Lincoln directed us to care for those "who shall have borne the battle," and for their families and their survivors.

Today -- more than 150 years later -- our commitment to that most noble mission remains vibrant and strong at VA. For us, every day is Veterans Day.

Each day, we at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center have the chance to express our appreciation for the unwavering commitment of our Veterans to America's defense. We extend to them the honors and thanks of a grateful nation with the services that we provide.

However, we do not do that alone. We are blessed to serve in a community where residents respect the service of veterans, and they show it in many ways. Individuals volunteer, civic groups and businesses donate, service organizations assist - southern Missouri and northern Arkansas are committed to caring for our veterans. We at the medical center are deeply grateful for our local partnerships, because by working together we can accomplish so much more for our country's heroes.

In closing and on behalf of our staff, on this Veterans Day - I thank all those who have served, and I thank the community for your steadfast support of Veterans' issues.

God bless our Veterans, those serving in uniform today, our community, and our great nation.

Michael Moore, Ph.D.,FACHE

Medical Center Director

John J. Pershing VA Medical Center