Northville Veteran's Day Tribute

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the Armistice was signed ending World War I. Veteran's Day was established to honor that momentous event.

Today, the Northville VFW along with the Ladies Auxiliary and a number of other veterans gathered around the flagpole at 11 AM.

The brief ceremony honored the service of veterans past and present, ending with a 21-gun salate and taps.

Afterward, the Ladies Auxiliary provided a lunch of sausage and biscuits.

Don't Forget The Vet!

Today is Veteran's Day. Although it began as a commemoration of the signing of the Armistice ending World War I, it has evolved into a national holiday honoring and thanking the men and women who have serviced in our armed forces.



Instead of just one day a year:

• Remember the aging veteran who needs a ride to the VA
• Remember the homeless veteran who needs a hand-up, not a hand out
• And particularly remember those returning from recent action overseas as they adjust to their new civilian lives
  

Freedom Is Not Free

A Veteran...is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America” for an amount of “up to and including my life...”
Author Unknown

This week is National Veteran's Awareness Week and Tuesday is Veteran's Day. Originally intended to celebrate the signing of the Armistice ending World War 1, we now honor the service of all veterans.

I joined the military just after the Vietnam War ended. While it was definitely not a popular thing to do, it was a great experience. The GI Bill paid for my college education and helped me buy my first home. But being in the military back then was a very different world.

Today's military members face multiple, extended deployments resulting in terrible family and financial stress, sometimes even leading to home foreclosures. Leaders are just beginning to address the serious emotional toll this extended war is taking on the warriors.

One thing that has changed from the Vietnam days, thankfully, is support for the troops. Whether or not people support the war, American citizens do support the troops this time around.

If you are a veteran, thank you for your service to your country. If you know a veteran, please express your gratitude for their sacrifice. And by the way, if you know any Marines, wish them "Happy Birthday" on November 10th.

A Day For Memorials

How did you celebrate this Memorial Day holiday? Did you attend a parade? Did you visit a cemetary? Or was it just a rare day off?

For the first time in more than 30 years, I marched in a parade, bringing back a flood of memories.

I was born on "traditional" Memorial Day, May 30th. My first birthdays were spent watching, and later being in a parade, followed by a big family picnic complete with a birthday cake.

As a former Marine, I've always held a soft spot in my heart for veterans and all things Marine. So after I joined Northville's Marine Corps League earlier this year, how could I say no to walking in the Memorial Day parade.

The day was perfect...just the right temperature, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, the Northville High School Marching Band, and the crowds lining the street to honor the veterans riding motorcycles, marching, and riding in cars.

It was wonderful to hear the support from the crowd, something that was unheard of in the 1970s when I served. A moving ceremony at the Veteran's Memorial in Rural Hill Cemetary capped off the morning.

Wherever you are, whatever you did, I hope you paused a moment to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy.

Unlike the Memorial Days of old, my birthday falls on Friday this year. Today was extra special though...Daniel and I celebrated our 24th Anniversary!