Grissom honors Veterans Day Published Oct. 28, 2015 By Senior Airman Katrina Heikkinen 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERV BASE, Ind. -- "On that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain," said President Dwight D. Eisenhower, in the President Proclamation of 3071. On the seas, in the air, on foreign shores, in peacetime and in war, the United States has honored veterans every year since 1954. Before the designation of Veterans Day, President Woodrow Wilson originally proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day in 1919 - a day to celebrate the Allied victory and the veterans who served in what was thought to be the last Great War. Nearly 20 years after the war to end all wars, the U.S. faced even greater mobilization of service members, including during World War II, followed by the Korean War. These subsequent wars necessitated the amendment of the Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) of 1938, to replace "Armistice" with "Veterans." With the passing of Public Law 380 on June 1, 1954, followed by President Eisenhower's Veterans Day proclamation, November 11 officially became Veterans Day - a day to honor all U.S. veterans. According to title 38 United States Code of Veterans' benefits, a veteran is a person who served in the active military, naval or air service and who was discharged or released there from under conditions other than dishonorable. Today, Veterans Day is still honored on Nov. 11 at communities hold concerts, parades, and other events to honor all those who made the determination to put service before self. Grissom is home to Veteran Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines who routinely deploy around the world in support of the U.S. strategic objectives. Grissom's host unit, the 434th Air Refueling Wing, is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Stay connected with Grissom on Facebook and Twitter.
