The men and women in uniform who defend the rights and freedoms we enjoy in this country are true heroes. November 11 is the date set aside to recognize the selflessness and bravery of the U.S. military, both today and yesterday. From the signing of the armistice in 1918 at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month that ended “the war to end all wars,” to the many celebrations around our state and country today, this is the day set aside annually to honor our nation’s best.
In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 Armistice Day, to honor those who served in World War I. This day of respect continued until 1954, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation to change the name to Veterans Day, honoring veterans of all conflicts in which the United States had taken part, including World War I and II and the Korean War.
The Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C., has the inscription, “Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met.” Every person who served in the military did so without knowing where they would go, or what task they would be handed. Another thought engraved at the same memorial is fairly common, yet no less true, “Freedom is not free.” The heroes of our military know that, and yet, they still offer their own lives, to protect their country and defend the rights of each U.S. citizen.
Honoring our veterans and our military personnel remains one of the Legislature’s highest priorities. As we approach Nov. 11, Veterans Day, I ask each of you to take a few moments out of your day to thank someone who has so admirably and courageously served this great country. Each of our veterans are owed a debt of gratitude for their selfless service to our great country.
As always, I encourage my constituents to contact me throughout the year with comments, questions or suggestions by calling my office at (573) 751-5713. To find more information about the bills I sponsor, visit www.senate.mo.gov/brown. Thank you for reading this and for your participation in state government.