It’s been an American tradition since 1954, and its message transcends time: honor those who have served in the armed forces and those who have died in battle.
Regardless of which political side of a conflict one stands, the well being of our veterans should be everyone’s concern. Even if we feel the purpose of a war may have been wrong, the bottom line is: our armed services did the dirty work.
Veterans Day is on Monday, Nov. 11 and there are two events for islanders to pay tribute to those who have served.
Orcas Island Elementary is holding an appreciation ceremony and breakfast on Nov. 8 at 8:30 a.m. Veterans are asked to arrive in the cafeteria that morning for an assembly followed by a breakfast in their honor. If possible, organizers request that veterans come in uniform or wear something that signifies their branch of service in the military for students to see. A group photo will be taken after the assembly. RSVP to 376-2286 or kpage@orcas.k12.wa.us
The American Legion will hold its annual Veterans Day Service on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. at the post home at 793 Crescent Beach Dr. The Sons of the American Legion will serve refreshments immediately following the event.
There are a total of 607,501 veterans living in Washington state, according to the United States Department of Veteran Affairs.
According to a report by ABC news, 2,333,972 American military personnel had been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan or both, as of 2011. Of that total, 1,353, 627 have since left the military. According to the Defense Manpower Data Center, nearly half of those who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan have been deployed more than once.
Locally, there is help for the 2,500 veterans who live in the islands.
The San Juan County Veterans’ Advisory Board is an outreach program that provides emergency services to veterans in need, their children, widows, widowers and/or orphans. A small portion of county tax funds are set aside for this purpose, and the board has helped several San Juan County veterans with rent, medical, dental, food, and transportation costs and counseling services.
Applications for assistance are available through the county website (http://sanjuanco.com/committees/veterans), from senior centers, sheriffs’ stations, libraries, and county legislative offices, or at 370-7632.
If you know of a veteran who is struggling, tell him/her about the advisory board. If you are related to a veteran who is in need of counseling, there is help. And if you are a veteran yourself, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and get a little back from the country for whom you gave so much.
