Today is Veterans Day. I know it seems weird to have a holiday on Tuesday but we celebrate this one November 11th regardless on which day of the week it falls.
I have mixed feelings about the military (believing, perhaps unrealistically, that armed force shouldn't exist) but I have no qualms about recognizing and rewarding those who serve. There should be more opportunities for non-military public service -- real public service, not self-enrichment like Congress. Those opportunities appear in other countries and instill a sense of community among young people. That's healthy for a society.
Arriving to this country as an immigrant in 1951 my father leapt at the chance to gain quicker citizenship by volunteering for the U.S. Army. He was sent to Korea where he cut soldiers' hair. (He was trained as a barber in Germany.) My dad was naturalized as a citizen before the Army discharged him. A deal's a deal and both sides kept their bargain.
My father was proud of his military service which is why, when he passed away three years ago, I chose to place his remains in Long Island's only military cemetery. It's what he would have wanted. Let's remember those who selflessly sacrificed valuable chunks of their lives for the benefit of the rest of us.
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