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United States Senator - Wayne Allard
November 8th, 2006	Contact: Steve Wymer (202) 224-6207 Laura Condeluci (202) 224-5944 Phone: Contact: Steve Wymer Phone: 202-224-6207
OP ED: HONORING OUR NATION'S VETERANS
Veterans Day is a day to honor and recognize our nation’s history. We focus on stories of the valiant courage displayed by our nation’s veterans at places like Midway, Normandy, and Iwo Jima in World War II as well as Khe Sahn and Operation Rolling Thunder in the Vietnam War. But while veterans who bravely risked their lives in World War II, Korea and Vietnam have all rightfully earned their status as acknowledged heroes, we must be mindful to recognize the newcomers from the Gulf War as well as our most recent veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Veterans Day presents us with an opportunity to formally recognize and thank those who have served in uniform and I encourage every Coloradan to take the time to do just that. The faces of American veterans are no longer solely those belonging to the “greatest generation” and those from the Vietnam era. They now also include many young warriors in their late teens, twenties and thirties. Currently we have about 589,000 veterans that have served our country proudly in the Global War on Terrorism since 2001 - and the number is increasing daily. These new veterans have a tremendous amount in common with the previous group of veterans through their commitment to service. It is this celebration of the multiple generations’ commitment to the preservation of freedom that has come to exemplify the spirit of Veterans Day. Modern Veterans Day found its beginning in 1918 when an armistice was signed on November 11 to temporarily cease hostilities between the Allies and Germany. In 1938 “Armistice Day” was declared a legal federal holiday. In 1954, the name was changed to Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans. Although our enemies have changed since World War I, our appreciation for our soldiers, sailors, airman and marines remains unwavering. In particular, it is important to keep in mind that the U.S. currently fields an all-volunteer force. All our men and women currently serving in our Armed Forces have chosen to serve their country in this most trying time in history and have placed on hold any other personal and self-fulfilling ambitions for the betterment of all. They are what I refer to as our “newest” greatest generation. On this Veterans Day, I urge you to take the time to show gratitude to our men and women in uniform. Remember that this holiday rightfully honors the members of all generations who have risked their lives to preserve our way of life. Take this opportunity that this day provides us to pay respects to those who have served and give them a sincere “thank you” for all the freedoms we enjoy everyday. Wayne Allard serves Colorado in the United States Senate.
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