Hello Campus and Community,
I hope you all take the time during this Veterans Day to celebrate and thank those who are currently serving our country or have served in the past.
Veterans Day is celebrated on Nov. 11; this year it falls on this coming Saturday. The national holiday is to celebrate all service members regardless of branch or if they are active in the military.
Veterans Day was created on Nov. 11, 1918, after World War I ended. According to Delaware Online, “World War I officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, but the fighting actually ended seven months before then, when the Allies and Germany put into effect an armistice on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.”
Congress then used Nov. 11 to honor only World War I military members, but after other major wars like World War II and the Korean War, the day was changed to celebrate all service members.
Today, the holiday is celebrated as “The Veterans Day National Ceremony” in Arlington, VA, along with other parades and celebrations. According to the
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the national ceremony begins with the tradition of laying a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier followed by a
celebration inside the Memorial Amphitheater.
Personally, Veterans Day holds a special place in my family as I have multiple family members that have served and one that is currently serving in the military.
My uncle, Randy Rauch, was a part of the Army National Guard that served in Kuwait and Afghanistan right after graduating from high school in 2005 and 2006 and was eventually discharged. His wife Crystal Guffey also served in the Army.
Two of my grandfathers, Greg Simonis and Tim Selsing, were military members. Simonis was a part of the Naval Reserve and served in Vietnam. He was discharged in 1972 and unfortunately passed away in 2014. Selsing was in the Navy as an engineer between 1976-1982.
Lastly, my cousin, Christopher Fitch, is currently serving as a Sergeant in the Army. Recently, on his last day on tour in Iraq, an explosive was thrown into their camp. He suffered a leg injury and multiple other soldiers were killed due to the explosive. Now he is spending time recovering with his wife and three daughters.
I hope you all take the time to thank those who have served our country this Saturday, for they have given the ultimate sacrifice as they provide us with protection every day.
The Exponent thanks everyone who is currently serving or has served. We will always remember those who have passed in the name of our country.
Sincerely,
Natalie Downie, Editor-in- Chief
