A Day of Honor

Earlier this year, the last U.S. veteran of World War I, Frank Buckles, died at the age of 110.

Ironically, he drove ambulances during the war at the age of 16. The last surviving member of the Great War didn't fight, but he saw the worst carnage that battle had to offer.

The war he was a part of spawned Armistice Day in 1919, honoring not only the day and hour WWI ended at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11th in 1918, but the men and women who served and died as well.

The holiday has transformed over the years, becoming a holiday for all veterans in 1954, and we now recognize it as Veterans Day.

Buckles represents everything that Veterans day represents. He and all others who have served in wars uniquely understand what it means to sacrifice for your nation. They understand what it means to fear for your life and fight for freedom.

The honor they receive via the holiday is a recognition from their nation that the duty they fulfill, and the risks they put themselves in are not unnoticed. It's a day for us to tell the world that we honor those that defend us.

This year, however, Veterans Day has been overshadowed. People have become inordinately excited about the date being 11/11/11, and subsequently many consumer products have been hyped for release on the date.

An action movie named Immortals, a bright and shiny cell phone, and the highly anticipated videogame Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim are all set for release on the day. There has even been talk about it being Spinal Tap day, because it all "goes to 11."

So, somehow because of a date having six ones, we are forgetting about a day to honor the people who fight to defend us from forces that seek to destroy our democracy and us.

Veterans are the people who risk their lives for us, but they do it out of sight. It's not easy to remember when they're so behind the scenes to us, and that's why we have set aside a date to honor those that do us a service.

Today we should not just recognize the great things that veterans have done for us, but for the things that we all must do to help veterans. A recent survey has shown that although veterans make up only 9 percent of the population, 15 percent of homeless surveyed were veterans.

Strikingly, veterans were also shown to be more likely to stay homeless, and develop health problems while on the streets. Yet this continually flies under our radar. Men and women come back after serving two tours in Iraq, only to find themselves thrown out alone.

So this Veterans Day, remember the people who have protected you. Call friends and family who are veterans, and take part in celebrations. Don't forget that every day, not just Nov. 11, there are people fighting for you, and still suffering from their time in war.