Our Veterans on Veterans Day

Veterans Day, Nov. 11, is on a Wednesday this month, allowing students a needed break from classes and our busy everyday schedules. Beyond that, Veterans Day’s importance is often reduced to being thought of as a day off for students and government employees; many people fail to recognize the greater impact and objective of the holiday.

World War One officially ended on June 28, 1919, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Before this, actual fighting and combat stopped seven months earlier on Nov. 11, 1918, at the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.” A year later, on Nov. 11, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as Armistice Day to remember the veterans who fought in World War One.

Armistice Day began as a day of remembrance specifically for the veterans who sacrificed their lives in World War One. Holiday celebrations of this date often included parades, periods of silence, and other ways of recognizing the price of war. Some celebrations occurred across the world and outside of the United States, as everyone was thankful the war was over.

Throughout the years, many changes have been made to Armistice Day. After World War Two, the Korean War and pressure from veteran organizations, Armistice Day was renamed to Veterans Day in the United States. This new change also led to a change in who people were remembering. Veterans Day became a date to remember all veterans past and present.

Armistice Day has come a long way to become the Veterans Day it is today. This Wednesday, Nov. 11, people will be gathering, celebrating and remembering our soldiers around Fargo. Here are a few listed events around Fargo which will be held to remember and celebrate our veterans.

NDSU will be holding a Veterans Day ceremony at the Memorial Union in the Prairie Rose room Tuesday, Nov. 10. Running from 8:30-9:30 a.m., the ceremony will include welcoming remarks from Vice Provost Laura Oster-Aaland, a keynote address and several speeches from veterans of the North Dakota National Guard. The ceremony will have students performing the national anthem, the sounding of “Taps” and the raising of the American flag will conclude the ceremony.

The Fargo Air Museum will be hosting an event from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. on Nov. 11. This event will be presented by the United Patriotic Bodies. There is not a schedule out at the time of writing, but previous events have featured the posting of colors, a keynote address, a prisoner of war and missing in action (POW, MIA) service, honor guard and “Taps.” Earlier in the day at 10 a.m., the air museum will be serving a complimentary coffee and donut hour for veterans.

A few smaller events will be held throughout Veterans Day as well. Super Buffet Sushi and Grill will be holding an event at 6 pm and will be serving free meals for veterans starting at 11 a.m. The Red River Valley Veterans Concert Band will be playing at several venues in the Fargo-Moorhead area as well, and their schedule can be found on their website. There will be many stores and restaurants serving free or discounted meals all day as well.

Veterans Day used to be a day for the dead of the first world war and to appreciate and remember their sacrifice. Now, Veterans Day is for remembering and saying “thank you” to all those who have sacrificed and served for our country. Thank you to all veterans for your dedication to our country!