Thank you for the opportunity to be here today and greetings to the honorable elected officials present and especially to all the veterans here among us.
I’m not quite sure why I was asked to say a few words this morning. I never served in the military and I am not a veteran. Yet, I am honored to be asked and to be with you today.
The United States population is roughly 319 million, and there are 19 million veterans today in our country. Maybe I was asked because there are many more people like me than there are of you. So it is important for those of us who have not served in the military to say thank you to our veterans for being a part of our national defense.
This official way of saying thank you began after World War 1, or as it was known, the Great War. President Woodrow Wilson acknowledged the sacrifice and wounds from that war, and Armistice Day, as it was called for nearly 30 years, began on November 11. Then in 1945 a World War 2 veteran from Alabama named Raymond Weeks began the crusade to celebrate all veterans, not just the World War 1 veterans, and in 1954 President Dwight Eisenhower signed a resolution declaring November 11 as Veterans Day.
I asked my children this morning if they knew the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day. The answer was a bit fuzzy. The answer, I said, was very simple. Memorial Day honors those who died while serving in the armed forces. Veterans Day honors those who served in the armed forces. In this room are many veterans who served in the military over many decades. This is your day. Today we honor you.
You may have volunteered to serve or you may have been drafted. We honor you. You may have served overseas or in the United States. We honor you. You may have fought in battles or provided behind the scenes support. We honor you. You may have served in war time or in peace time. We honor you. You may have served in the air, on the ground, or on or under the water. We honor you.
In Lawrence, the City Council and Mayor honor and thank returning military personnel who completed their time in the military. At first, the presentation was only to those who served in combat. Then, a constituent on Salem St. told me about her son who was in the Marines, and based on the criteria we set, would never qualify for an official thank you from the city because he served state side. Most importantly, she added, he served on a bio-chemical unit as a first responder, and if he was ever called into battle, the chances of him returning home were slim.
That truly resonated with me, because I learned that it is not just those who go into battle that should be thanked and honored, but all those who play roles throughout the military organization that should receive recognition: The cook, the medic, the recruiter, the mechanic, the IT specialist, the band member (like my dad) and not just the warrior.
So today, when a Lawrence resident returns home after completing their time in the military, we have a special ceremony where the Lawrence JROTC lowers the Lawrence City Flag that has flown over the Campagnone Common (as an aside, named after the 3 Campagnone brothers – a Lawrence family – who were killed in World War 2), presents the flag to a current Lawrence veteran, who then presents it the returning Lawrence veteran at the beginning of a City Council meeting. The symbolism is rich.
So today, we honor you. We also take a moment to salute those who are currently in the military, and who will one day be called a veteran. Thank you for your service. We wish you peace and that you never be called upon to serve in combat or provide support to those who do.
Finally, I appreciate the opportunity to say these heartfelt words today. It is my honor. On behalf of a grateful City Council and City, thank you.
