A day of reflection

Ninety-six years ago, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, fighting ceased as an armistice went into effect in World War I. Months later, the Treaty of Versailles was signed to bring a formal conclusion to the conflict commonly dubbed the “war to end all wars.”

Its legacy, sadly, has become quite the opposite – that of a formative chapter in a century filled with the most widespread and devastating conflict humanity has yet seen.

So, too, has the significance of Nov. 11 evolved with the passing of decades. Today, what had been Armistice Day has become Veterans Day, a solemn occasion on which we honor and reflect upon the service of those who have worn the nation’s uniform and willingly risked and made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our liberties and principles.

The day’s relevance remains as strong as ever, with our nation still militarily engaged across the globe even as thousands of young men and women have returned from the years-long conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. It reminds us of the continued need for vigilance and of the profound cost – collectively, and for millions of families – that conflict carries.

Americans are understandably weary of war, especially the new kind of battle in which we are seemingly perpetually engaged. Today’s enemies are unlike those of prior conflicts – often nameless, faceless, at times stateless. The idea of battlefield boundaries – physically, and in terms of conduct – means nothing to many contemporary adversaries. Much of the fighting now is done in secret, under cover of night, from a distance or with the targeted precision of our most elite forces.

Circumstances have led to a concerning disconnect between the public and military, a lost sense of shared sacrifice that defined earlier conflicts. With our armed forces composed entirely of volunteers, certain segments of our society become almost entirely removed from the nature of that service.

Even as we have thankfully resolved to honor our veterans – in stark contrast to the reception many received upon returning from prior conflicts – we too often overlook the ongoing obligation to ensure those who carry scars both visible and hidden receive the support they have earned.

During Veterans Day observances at Warwick’s Veterans Memorial High School, it was noted that the national anthem – authored by Francis Scott Key during the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore during the War of 1812 – at one point reflects uncertainty over the fate of the American forces.

“Oh say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave/O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”

At the poem’s end, the familiar flag does still fly. It has ever since, in the face of enormous obstacles and thanks to the willingness of millions of men and women to sacrifice all in service of an enduring ideal.

Veterans Day is one of the few occasions on which all of us, no matter our place in life, are reminded of the true costs of our American experiment. Let us this year newly resolve ourselves to ensuring the burden is shared, both to honor those who have and will wear the uniform and more fully realize the promise of our democracy.