Honoring Those Who Have Served
Stanley’s American Legion Charles Hartman Post 134 held a Veterans Day observance on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at the Veterans Park.
Veterans Day services in Stanley are traditionally held on the eleventh day of the eleventh month at the eleventh hour, signifying the end of World War 1. Originally celebrated as Armistice Day beginning on November 11, 1919, a year after the end of World War I, it was changed to Veterans Day in 1954 and became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
This year’s speaker was Don Longmuir. He started by saying that Veterans Day is a special day to honor all those men and women who have worn the uniform and given years of their lives to ensure the freedoms we enjoy will endure.
These men and women have taken the oath “I solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”
They have agreed to put their life on the line for the benefit of the country but just as importantly they are giving years of their lives to the country that they will not get back. Whether it was for a two, three, four year or longer commitment they are not necessarily meeting the goals they have set for themselves. Ships are constantly at sea staying alert for any situation that may arise. There are navy bases located in the United States and throughout the world. The air force has planes, satellites, missiles, drones and other assets constantly monitoring situations around the world with bases located in the United States and around the world. The army and marine corps are constantly training and using other assets to monitor things happening around the world. They maintain a presence in bases around the world along with bases in the United States. According to one source there are 1.32 million active-duty service men and woman currently.
According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs and Pew Research there are 18 million veterans in the United States. This constitutes approximately 6% of the country’s adult population. Meaning 94% of the adult population have not disrupted their lives and have enjoyed a safe comfortable lifestyle.
He then shared the stories of three veterans. The first was Charles, but call him Chuck. He graduated from a small school in rural North Dakota and felt an obligation to keep his country safe. This was in the 60’s before the flare up in Vietnam. He joined the Army for a three-year hitch in 1962. His postings included basic in Fort Leonard Wood, radio school in Fort Gordon and then the opportunity to spend 13 months in Korea. During those 13 months in Korea, he missed the opportunity to having any holidays with his family. He put his career path on hold while he was in the service.
There have been women that have stepped forward to serve their country since the revolutionary war. In 1987 a young lady named Karen stepped forward and took the oath to become a member of the United States Navy. She put her life on hold for two years to have the opportunity to serve her country. While her peers were starting their career path in the workforce, she was serving her country. While peers were looking for the cute little house with the white picket fence, she was serving as a yeoman in the US Navy. While her peers were planning their weekend parties, she was participating in drills and other duties as assigned.