Let's Honor Our Veterans
Veterans Day, celebrated in the U.S., honors people who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays such as Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark the anniversary of the end of World War I (major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect). The United States also originally observed Armistice Day; it then evolved into the current Veterans Day holiday in 1954.
“Veteran’s Day is about honoring those who have decided to serve something greater than themselves,” said Capt. Todd Prestidge, the commanding officer of Coast Guard Training Center Cape May. “Their choice to serve and protect this great nation offers a renewed sense of faith in what America stands for and to what lengths the men and women of the armed services are willing to go to protect it.”
In his latest weekly address, in advance of Veterans' Day, President Obama paid tribute to the men and women in uniform who have given so much in service of America. Stating: “Veterans have risked their lives to protect our freedom, and we need to be there for them when they return from duty by ensuring they get the care they need and the opportunities they deserve. The President asked every American to thank and welcome home the veterans in their lives who, like all who fight for our country, are heroes worthy of our constant gratitude and support.”
The U.S. Navy reminded us that just the simple act of listening is sometimes the best way to really say "Thank You." Watch a touching video in a Navy feature titled “In the Company of Heroes” here.
For more information, including various celebrations and commemoration ceremonies, visit http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/.
Remembrance Day
In Australia and other allied countries, including New Zealand and Canada, November 11 became known as Armistice Day – a day to remember those who died in World War One. The day continues to be commemorated in Allied countries.
After World War Two, the Australian Government agreed to the United Kingdom’s proposal that Armistice Day be renamed Remembrance Day to commemorate those who were killed in both World Wars. Today the loss of Australian lives from all wars and conflicts is commemorated on Remembrance Day.
?In honor of Remembrance Day in Australia, a relic from a sailing ship seized by German sailors in one of wartime’s great escapes returned to the Cocos Islands over the weekend. On November 9, relatives of the German raider SMS Emden presented a lifebuoy from the schooner Ayesha to the Cocos Islands community. The hand-over is part of the Anzac Centenary events on the Islands. On November 9, 1914, the German raider SMS Emden landed a 50-strong raiding party to destroy the cable and wireless station on Direction Island.