On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect. Even though the Treaty of Versailles wasn’t signed until June 28, 1919, the eleventh of November became known as the end of World War I. A year later, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words:
“To use in American, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service with gratitude for the victory both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given American to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations.”
Congress officially recognized the holiday when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926. Twelve years later, on May 13, 1938, Armistice Day was proclaimed a legal holiday. After World War II, President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved legislation to change the name of the holiday to Veterans Day in honor of American veterans of all wars.
According to the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, Veterans Day is “a celebration to honor American’s veterans for the patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.” Dave Sobiech is among those who deserve that honor. Sobiech served for nine years in the Minnesota Army National Guard, Company A of the 434th Main Support Battalion at Camp Riley. Dave was eager to follow in the footsteps of his large military family, including a grandfather who served in the Pacific during World War II. During one deployment to Iraq, he served alongside two other family members. “I am much more appreciative of being from this country than before,” he said. “There are a lot of things we take for granted as a society that would be considered a luxury someplace else.”
As of September 30, 2010, there were 27.7 million military veterans listed on the Veteran’s Administration registry. Of this number, North Dakota has 56,300 registered veterans, while Minnesota has 381,300 veterans. It is because of these veterans that the United States is able to live within the security and safety it has become accustomed to. Sobiech hopes that society can understand the position military personnel are put in. “As a soldier you have no choice where or when you go to war. There is no grey area, there is no compromise. They wear the flag on their shoulders that represent this country and they should be revered for it, not forsaken.”
According to a March 2012 United States Census Bureau report, there are currently 1,452,939 military personnel on active duty. In addition, there are 470,000 soldiers in the National Guard and 1,102,863 in the Reserves. Eighteen-year-old Simeon Reiswig is among the enlisted. “Ever since I was eight,” he said, “I always wanted to be part of the military, in one way shape or form.” Reiswig recently returned from Basic Combat Training at Fort Benning in Georgia. After graduating from Park Christian High School in May of 2013, Simeon will return to Georgia to become Military Occupational Specialty qualified. “Basically, I will be a fully trained and a deployable soldier.” His long-term goal is to become part of the Special Forces.
These active duty personnel will at some point face a very uncertain and difficult transition back into civilian life. Veterans all over the world face obstacles and difficulties that are unmatched among other segments of society. “Adjustment coming back took longer than I would’ve thought,” Sobiech said. “Normal decisions were tough because they’re made for you when you’re deployed.” Resiwig expressed similar sentiments regarding his return from combat training. “I was different,” he said. “I came home feeling out of place. I couldn’t relate to anyone here, I couldn’t talk to people about it, I couldn’t do anything.” Even though there are services provided by several organizations, including the Veteran’s Administrations, the burden of acclimation falls heavily on the shoulders of individual veterans – and their families.
It can be easy to think of members of the Armed Forces as faceless, nameless unknowns. In reality, each solider is someone’s son or daughter, husband or wife, mother or father. Families are separated, often for years at a time. Veteran’s Day is also a day to celebrate the families that experience the intensity of the enlistments; family members like Nicole Chamberlain. Nicole’s husband, Jon, is a member of the North Dakota Army National Guard, currently stationed at Fort Lee in Virginia. Even though the separation has been difficult, Nicole understands and supports her husband’s decision. “The military has made him into the man I always knew he was,” she said.
The sacrifices that soldiers and their families make on behalf of the citizens of the United States cannot be quantified. On November 11, please take a minute to share your respect and admiration for men and women like Dave, Simeon, and Jon. Our world is a better place because of them.