Honoring our veterans

My dad and Grandpa Roberts (1919)

"From the day that I was born I've waved the flag

Philadelphia freedom took me knee-high to a man"

- Elton John/1975                    

For far too many years Veterans Day appeared simply as a calendar day that government workers got “off.” Few patriotic programs. Fewer parades. Minimal flag raising ceremonies. For most it was just a calendar date similar to Groundhog Day, Arbor Day and Columbus Day. 

Congress even tried to shift Veterans Day to a Monday between 1968 and 1978 in an effort to give us an additional three-day weekend. The idea failed miserably because of confusion and inconsistency.

But now Nov. 11, regardless of the day of the week, is annually designated as Veterans Day.

Fortunately great strides have been made toward properly honoring those who served in the armed forces and sacrificed their lives to preserve the liberties that we all enjoy.

The annual 11-11 at 11 tradition is now embedded in our community. Under the leadership of the local Elks – officially Benevolent Protective Order of the Elk #1673 – our veterans are honored with a patriotic program, breakfast and a time of reflection.

Tooele honors our veterans Tuesday at 11 a.m. in a patriotic program at the Dow-James building. Rep. Rebecca Lockhart, Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives, will address the veterans, their families, community leaders and the public.

An appreciation breakfast to thank our veterans is also being served prior to the program, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

The Tooele Applied Technology College holds a flag raising ceremony at 9 a.m. and Grantsville has an 11 a.m. ceremony planned.

Here’s a quick history lesson: The “War to End All Wars” officially concluded on June 28, 1919, when the Treaty of Versailles was signed in France. However, fighting between Allied Forces and Germany ceased seven months earlier with an armistice that began on the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month.
Presidents and Congress formally paid respect to the Great War veterans with various resolutions and orders over the next several years.  In 1938, Congress formally recognized Nov. 11 as Armistice Day and a legal holiday. “Armistice” was replaced with “Veterans” in 1954.

Although I never served in the military, my parents raised me to always show proper respect to the flag and honor those veterans who protected our freedoms.

As an impressionable youth at the height of the Vietnam War I remember hearing of Lyndsey Fonger, Rey Duffin, Victor Tafoya, Mike Mermejo and others who lost their lives in Southeast Asia.

Six days after my 18^th birthday cease-fire agreements were formally signed to end the Vietnam War and the highly controversial draft concluded.

I’m grateful to those in Tooele who sweat all the details preparing programs honoring our veterans. If you are available to attend one of our local ceremonies, please do so.

If you are unable to do be there, place a small flag on the grave of a family member or friend who served in the military, reflect on the sacrifices made, or simply thank a veteran for defending and securing our freedoms and liberties.

Peace, love and all that Jazz.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation 

is not to utter words, but to live by them.” 
—John F. Kennedy