Veterans Day preserves an important legacy

  • Published
  • By Gen. Bruce Carlson
  • Commander, Air Force Materiel Command
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) --  Those of you who watched "The War", the seven-part series by Ken Burns that aired on Public Broadcasting Service stations in September, heard several veterans give chilling eye-witness accounts to the most significant historical event of the last century.

They each had their own story to tell about their combat experiences, yet each experience spoke to the themes of self-sacrifice, courage and perseverance under horrific conditions.

Mr. Burns had been reluctant to take on so vast a topic as World War II, but he said two facts overcame his hesitancy. He learned that 1,000 World War II veterans are dying daily. And he learned that what he termed "an unacceptably large number" of today's graduating high school seniors think the United States and Germany were allies during World War II against the Russians.

We observe Veterans Day annually to honor and express our gratitude to all living Americans who were called to military service and who have served honorably. But as I learned why Mr. Burns was persuaded to make "The War", the thought occurred to me that another reason for observing Veterans Day is worth noting.

Our nation honors veterans because their service and sacrifice are part of a historical legacy that accompanies the growth of this remarkable country and the ongoing work of living up to the democratic principles on which the United States was founded. In return, those of us in uniform should value the gratitude most citizens demonstrate toward us despite political or ideological differences. It wasn't always that way.

I hope all of us, uniformed Airmen and Air Force civilians alike, will help preserve the legacy of those remarkable World War II vets who are so rapidly passing on, and in the process renew our own dedication to integrity, excellence and service. 

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