Veterans Day 2009

God Bless Our Veterans and their Families America
By Paul Vallely MG US Army (Ret)

The 11th of November is remembered as the day when the First World War officially ended, with the signing of the Armistice by the Germans – on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year 1918; certainly a whole lot of 11s to make this significant day difficult to forget. Initially, the day was commemorated as Armistice Day, as proclaimed by the President of the United States Woodrow Wilson in 1919, a year after the historic day.

As other wars since the First World War came and went, it became apparent that there are other veterans that need to be remembered other than those who served in World War I that ended on Armistice Day. It was a shoe store owner from Emporia, Kansas, Al King, who came up with the idea to expand the reach of Armistice Day to include all American veterans, regardless of which war they fought in. President Dwight Eisenhower signed this inclusion into a law on May 26, 1954, and on November 8 that same year, Armistice Day became known as Veterans Day.

On Veterans Day weekend, one might want to commemorate the sacrifices of our beloved American our beloved “Heroes” by taking time to enrich our knowledge on the lives that they lead and the challenges that they face. We love and cherish them so for their sacrifices and their service across the globe.

I will be joining Wayne Newton and John Dawson in Phoenix to celebrate and honor our Veterans this week. My wife, Muffin and daughter, Dana and I celebrate our SON, Scott, on this day whom we lost in Special Forces in April 2004.

God be with them ALL. Rest Easy!

Paul E. Vallely

Chairman - Stand Up America US - Save Our Democracy

www.standupamericaus.com

www.soldiersmemorialfund.org

www.saveourdemocracy.org

E-Mail: standupamerica1@gmail.com

Fax: 406 837 0996