Commentary -- Veterans Day: The most important 11/11/11

  • Published
  • By Col. Kurt Meidel
  • 71st Flying Training Wing vice commander
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Friday's date is a once-in-a-century date: 11/11/11. Many people hold superstitions about the number 11, especially when multiple 11s come together.

Some believe that if you kiss your watch when you see 11:11, you'll have good luck. Others see it as ominous. Hollywood has even produced a thriller about the date and time -- it's in theaters this weekend.

While the uniqueness of Friday's date makes for interesting conversation around the coffee pot, the most meaningful confluence of three 11s took place in 1918. At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of that year, hostilities between Allied and German troops ceased, in accordance with the armistice signed earlier that morning on a railway carriage in the Compiègne Forest of France. The Great War was over.

To commemorate that date, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11, 1919, as Armistice Day. In 1954 Congress changed the name to Veterans Day to honor the veterans of all wars.

In his proclamation of that first "Veterans Day," in 1919, President Wilson said, "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations."

I believe our great nation has continued that legacy through all of our conflicts to the present day.

Over the last 15 months here at Vance Air Force Base, I've had the privilege, through our local Daedalians chapter, to hear veterans from many conflicts tell their stories -- from World War II to the present fight. The most riveting accounts are the personal vignettes, the kind of unfiltered history you can't get from a documentary on the History Channel.

I've had the honor of hearing Jake McNiece, a member of the unit that inspired the movie, "The Dirty Dozen," tell about his four incredible combat jumps behind enemy lines, including D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. Then, in the next breath, tell us how he ditched most of his food to make room for his Copenhagen, only to find it had gone bad trouncing through the mud.

Just last week I heard Jay Merz relate amazing stories of heroism flying helicopters in the Vietnam War. I learned about missions I didn't know existed -- high altitude drones monitoring communications in China that were then plucked out of mid-air by Jay's helicopter to be returned to their bases for refueling.

Just as interesting, though, were Jay's personal anecdotes. He told of being invited to dinner with a Laotian general where the only drink available was brandy. He tried a bite of a vegetable that looked like spinach, only to find it was the second hottest thing he'd ever eaten.

Not expecting much relief from the brandy, he took a bite of the rice dish to quench the fire. The rice turned out to be the hottest thing he'd ever eaten. His hosts were in stitches as they watched him sweat, with tears welling up in his eyes.

Earlier this year, the last known living veteran of the World War I passed away. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. veterans of World War II are dying at the rate of 740 per day. While efforts are ongoing to capture their stories, nothing can replace the experience of hearing the first-hand accounts of our service members experiences.

History comes alive when talking to a veteran. I encourage you to seek out opportunities to hear their tales. Sometimes it's as easy as thanking a veteran for his service when you see him walking into the commissary -- then asking where he served. I truly believe the best way to show our appreciation to our veterans is to listen. They'll be blessed, and so will you.

On this compelling date of 11/11/11, let's start a new tradition. From now on, when we see 11:11 on a clock, let's take a mental moment to be thankful for our veterans.

Happy Veterans Day.