On Veterans Day, America Stops at 11 A.M. to Thank Those Who Served

Today is Veterans Day, and at 11 a.m. the nation's official observance begins at Arlington National Cemetery.

The Department of Veterans Affairs says the national ceremony starts precisely at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns, then moves inside the Memorial Amphitheater for a parade of colors and remarks from national leaders.

The hour is not an accident. The guns of the First World War fell silent at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, and Americans first marked the date as Armistice Day. In 1954 Congress broadened it to honor veterans of every American war, and it has been Veterans Day ever since. Memorial Day honors those who died in service. Veterans Day thanks everyone who wore the uniform, the living and the dead.

This year the day carries extra weight. American troops have fought in the war with Iran, and for some families the losses are new. The New York Times spoke with military families who lost a loved one in that war and found emotions running from pride to grief to anger. For them, today's ceremonies are not history. They are personal, and the empty chair at the table is real.

Across the nation, Americans are turning out. Thousands of service members are marching in New York City's annual Veterans Day Parade, NTD News reported. Scouting America is introducing a new Military Service and Veterans merit badge today, meant to inspire Scouts and help them understand the armed forces, The Daily Signal reported. Fox News counted about 30 restaurant chains offering free meals and discounts to veterans, with some deals running past Nov. 11.

Some of the most meaningful efforts are practical. A former Navy SEAL is teaming up with Black Rifle Coffee Company to help wipe out millions of dollars in medical debt for veterans and first responders, with a goal of $35 million, NTD News reported.

Thanks are not enough on their own. The Department of Veterans Affairs is rolling out a new program to help veterans avoid losing their homes to foreclosure, but a federal watchdog warns that the agency lacks a full plan to measure whether the program works, Just the News reported. Veterans and their families deserve programs that deliver results, not programs that only look good on paper.

The country made a promise to the men and women who served: if you defend us, we will take care of you. Keeping that promise is the work of every Congress and every administration, whichever party is in charge.

Scripture says, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Today, call a veteran you know. Fly the flag. Visit a cemetery if you can, or pause wherever you are at 11 a.m. for a moment of silence. Ask the veterans in your own family to tell their stories, and write those stories down before they are lost.

And thank God for the men and women who stood watch so the rest of us could live free.