Veterans Day
Discover more from Steady
Veterans Day dawns this year with many parts of the world at war. We can see the horror of armed conflict all too vividly. It spurs us again to share our gratitude for members of the United States Armed Forces on this day of commemoration and celebration for their service.
We recognize the courage and sacrifice of the professional soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines trained to engage in battle, while also acknowledging the profound suffering endured by civilians who are not.
Last year, we shared a post in the wake of the midterm elections, which delivered impressive and significant victories for democracy, progress, and the rule of law. This week’s elections also provided signs of hope, but the peril posed by those seeking to undermine our constitutional republic persists — especially amid the prospect of another Trump presidential campaign.
With this in mind, we want to share our sentiments from last Veterans Day, looking backward with solemn appreciation and forward with a stalwart belief in hope, and steadiness.
There is a potent symbolism in how Veterans Day falls so soon after Election Day. In this short succession of the calendar, we can see a definition of the American experiment — the peaceful exercise of our constitutional government and the need to protect our precarious freedoms from the forces that would destroy them.
In the wake of a midterm election that seems to have steadied our national future in a time of great danger from within our country, we can now turn to honoring those who have stood sentry around the globe, at great peril and sacrifice, to ensure the continuation of our nation’s peace and prosperity.
It is fitting that Veterans Day grew out of Armistice Day. This is the 11th day of the 11th month, commemorating the end of what was originally called The Great War and then World War I, because another global conflict soon followed. The fate of a warrior is to prepare for war but hope for peace.
We, as a nation, recognize the necessity of having armed forces to ensure the safety and security of the homefront and the larger world, but we should always hope these forces face battle only as a last resort. Our history tells of particular tragedy — in places like Vietnam and Iraq — when we entered into conflict we should have, could have avoided.
The service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform is not limited to active warfare. It can be found in the myriad manifestations of duty required by those who have taken the oath to serve. It can be found in long deployments and missed time with loved ones. It can be found in physical and emotional exertion. And it can be found in the strain of always preparing for the possibility of war.
Our military also has been a driver of social change. It desegregated before the country did. And it has offered a path of opportunity for many who desperately needed it, including those from immigrant and marginalized groups. But like the society it reflects, the American military is not immune from the divisions seen in the nation at large. Our political and military leaders must be diligent in rooting out racism, sexism, bigotry, homophobia, and the extremism that has been on the rise in recent years.
We have seen evidence that the MAGA mindset has taken root to some degree in our military and among some of those who served. Many who stormed the Capitol on January 6 were veterans. And the ranks of groups like the Proud Boys reportedly have many veterans, as well. These people embody the antithesis of those who wore the uniform before them. Our brave veterans defeated the Nazis, Imperial Japan, and the forces of violent autocracy more generally. They protected us from Soviet aggression. They stood guard against a world that despised our diversity and our freedoms. This is the legacy we honor today.
Our veterans have been the authors of many of the key inflection points in our nation’s history. They have ushered us from danger to hope, from strife to peace, and from division to unity. As we struggle to find our footing in an era of disorientation and peril, let us express our gratitude to those whose steadfastness and courage allow us to continue on our journey toward a more perfect union.
To all of you who have served, we thank you. Steady.
The Steady newsletter is supported by the Steady community. Please consider subscribing if you aren’t already a member.
Veterans Day
As a combat veteran I take exception to your disgusting comments and challenge you to bring it. If I see you first then it’s on you disgusting excuse for a human being.
I'm appalled at the number of military that were involved in J6. When they joined they took an oath to protect our democracy. The action of those who participated in the attack and of those who condone it is one of the most horrifying symptoms of our political cancer. As you mentioned recent election results were somewhat reassuring but given daily news and weekly polls I'm less confident that "24 will be a peaceable transfer of power. The spector of our military (current or retired) being ion opposite sides in a very physical way is a nightmare scenario. We can hope and pray for the best but with eyes wide open we need to be prepared for alternative. I am grateful for your column, your experience, your common sense and your encouragement for us to remain steady in somewhat turbulent times.