In the United States of America, Veterans Day is celebrated annually on November 11. This day is the anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended World War I hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany in 1918. Veterans Day is intended to honor and thank all military personnel who served the United States in war or peacetime, particularly living veterans. It is a day marked by parades and church services, and in many places the American flag is hung at half mast. In honor of veterans, I share the following poem by Joanna Fuchs:

THEY DID THEIR SHARE
On Veterans Day we honor
Soldiers who protect our nation.
For their service as our warriors,
They deserve our admiration.
Some of them were drafted;
Some were volunteers.
For some it was just yesterday;
For some it’s been many years.
In the jungle or the desert,
On land or on the sea;
They did whatever was assigned
To produce a victory.
Some came back; some didn’t.
They defended us everywhere.
Some saw combat, some rode a desk;
All of them did their share.
No matter what the duty,
For low pay and little glory;
These soldiers gave up normal lives,
For duties mundane and gory.
Let every veteran be honored;
Don’t let politics get in the way.
Without them, freedom would have died;
What they did, we can’t repay.
We owe so much to them,
Who kept us safe from terror;
So when we see a uniform,
Let’s say “thank you” to every wearer.
—By Joanna Fuchs www.poemsource.com

For those wishing to thank a veteran by contributing to a cause, may I suggest the Wounded Warrior Project, which serves military service members who incurred service-connected wounds, injuries, or illnesses on or after September 11, 2001, and their families. More information is available at their web site: www.woundedwarriorproject.org.