Give all veterans their due

When John Kelly, President Trump’s chief of staff and retired Marine general, recently referred to the “1 percenters,” he was speaking admiringly of the few Americans who volunteer to serve in the armed forces.

 Kelly was generous. Today’s active-duty armed forces make up not even a half of a percent of the American population — 0.04% … 1,429,995 volunteers out of a total population of 323.1 million.

All 1,429,995 of those serving should be held in high esteem (except, of course, those few who soil the honor of their service. Unfortunately, no social system is perfect).

But as we have expressed here before, while it is often a rote offering to say to those in uniform or to those who have served, “Thank you for your service,” it would be far more valuable and meaningful if all Americans fully grasped what every soldier past and present has done: 

They have volunteered, they stepped forward with their free will, they chose to risk their lives for the defense of all of us. They made and are making the statement that they are unwilling to live and unwilling to let us live as the conquered slaves of any enemy force — foreign or domestic. 

This is a priceless virtue.

Ever since 9-11, we as a nation, thankfully, have made an extraordinary turnaround in the deference and gratitude we show our veterans and those currently serving for their commitment and sacrifice. 

Many of us, of course, remember another time — the darkness of the late 1960s and 1970s. What a horrible, shameful time to have lived through and to have witnessed ignorant, ungrateful Americans spitting on and discarding those who risked their lives in Vietnam. Those soldiers faithfully did their duty while cowardly and incompetent politicians threw them into the abyss.

Time, of course, heals wounds. And more and more these days, as our Vietnam veterans reach their late 60s and 70s, you can see that increasing numbers of the 60 million baby boomers who did not serve during the Vietnam War feel a sense of remorse and sadness, while at the same time feel pride and profound respect when they see those Vietnam veterans marching in the annual Veterans Day parades. They deserve their due.

So if you attend one of the Veterans Day parades this week, be sure to hoot and cheer for those aging warriors from the Greatest Generation (WWII), the Silent Generation (Korean War) and, to be sure, the younger veterans who sacrificed in Iraq and Afghanistan. But make a special effort to let out a louder “whoop, whoop” for those who served in Vietnam. 

They, like all veterans, have earned our gratitude and respect.

VETERANS DAY HISTORY

Veterans Day originated as Armistice Day on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary marking the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. President Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 to change the name to Veterans Day to honor those who served in all wars. 

Total U.S. veterans: 21.3 million

Total Florida vets: 1,559,778

STATES WITH MOST VETS

1. California 1,755,680

2. Texas 1,670,186

3. Florida 1,559,778

4. Pennsylvania 821,624

5. New York 773,063

PERIOD OF SERVICE

Gulf War 7,271,000

Vietnam War 6,651,000

Korean War 1,475,000

World War II 624,000

FLORIDA

Vietnam War 496,526

Gulf War* 190,446

Post 9/11** 173,469

Korean War 144,445

World War II 65,941

AGE OF FLORIDA VETS

65+ 826,781

40-64 580,746

<40 186,691

VETERANS BY COUNTY

1. Hillsborough 96,585

2. Duval 91,035

3. Pinellas 87,262

4. Broward 81,721

5. Palm Beach 80,395

6. Brevard 68,408

7. Orange 71,465

8. Lee 60,919

9. Miami-Dade 59,130

10. Volusia 53,790

13. Sarasota 41,717

18. Manatee 31,381

* 1990-9/11/2001 ** 9/12/2001-present

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs