Happy Veteran's Day

My husband is sleeping in this morning but since he's a veteran, that's the least he can do on a day to honor his over 17 years of service, numerous deployments and all the missed time he has had to endure with all five kids.  Yahoo is carrying a story on the origins or signficance of 11 am on 11/11:

Back in 1918, in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, a stop to hostilities was declared, ending World War I. An armistice to cease the fighting on the Western Front was signed by the Allied powers and Germany.


President Woodrow Wilson immediately proclaimed the day "Armistice Day," kicking off the annual commemoration on November 11. But over the years, with veterans returning from World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day — a day reserved to honor veterans returning from all wars. But 11/11 still represented the end of the Great War in the public's mind, and the date stuck.

In 1921, unidentified dead from the war were buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., Westminster Abbey in London, and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The tradition to honor those killed in the war but never identified continues every year in the U.S. The ceremony is held at 11 a.m. at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

Congress designated Veterans Day as a legal holiday in 1938, and since then, most Americans have come to know it as a day for store sales and parades. Yahoo! Searches on the holiday have already surged on the Web. People want to know "veterans day history," "veterans day closings," veterans day sales," and "veterans day free meals."

 Make sure to thank a Vet today as they make great sacrifices for our freedom.  The conditions in Afghanistan are deplorable with more and more deaths.  Call your politician and demand to either leave or put out more troops to allow them to have proper defenses.  I usually try to stray away from politics but our men and women are dying and they need the proper support to fight and protect themselves.

Happy Veteran's Day to my husband, my father, my four uncles and all the other men and women!

This Christmas, visit your local VA and volunteer!  Your heart will be warmed and your eyes will fill with happiness as you see how much you can help!

Take a Vet to School Day & History.com Resources

Anyone ever heard of Take a Veteran to School Day because I haven't and I should considering I'm an Army wife?  History.com has a host of information for this day in October to include a school curriculm and planning guides from K through 12th grade.

They include a guide in Spanish, oral history guides, African Americans in WWII and much more.  Not sure if my daughter's school is participating so I just e-mailed the PTO President to find out.

Within the sample lesson plans is a letter written by a Civil War soldier to his mother.   Below is an excerpt of a letter written in 1862 by Union soldier Tilton C. Reynolds to his mother. Reynolds had enlisted as a seventeen-year-old six months earlier, and would serve until the end of the war, despite spending several months in a Confederate jail, a result of being captured a month after writing this letter. Though light and humorous in tone, there seems to be an underlying angst in the words of this young soldier as he prepares to confront a growing Civil War.

Camp near Yorktown, April 16, 1862


Dear Mother


I am going to write a few lines to tell you about a little fun we had about Col Corbet our Lieut Col. When the Regt went out on Picket he was going round to see where the Picket Posts was when he came to the Rebel Picket lines. It being after night he had missed our lines & got too far off. He rode up & asked what Regiment that was & One of them told him It was the 24th Virginia. This Scared Col Corbet Considerable & he turned his horse the other way & Started for the Picket lines of Co. C who was Posted first. The Rebels fired at him Several times but did not hit him. He jumped off his horse when he come to the Co & told them to hold his horse & he took down though the woods toward Camp Double Quick. This is the Story I heard I expect they made It a little worse than It was but he was Badly Scared that I know.


There was a little Scirmish to day that our Artillery had with the Rebels. They killed one of our men & Shot the legs of an other below the knees. I guess the[y] made the Rebels git though. They are trying to Drive them out of their little Batteries & I guess they are doing It. The Adjt & Uncle John is well. I was up to the Adjts office a little while ago he is going to write tomorrow. But I must close this for I have nothing to write about. The mail goes out in the morning. We have no drill any more Excep a little Bayonet Exercise & that is easy work. I am going to draw a new pair of Pants in a few days. Mine is pretty good yet but they are a little too Small & as we are Entitled to new ones I thought I might as well get them. But now I must close. Give my love to all & except my Sincere love for yourself and believe me to be your affectionate Son.
 
There are many really good historical references so even if your school doesn't participate or if you homeschool, check it out!
 
History.com is also raising awareness on supporting our veterans through many ways:

• Armed Services YMCA http://www.asymca.org/ - Supplies vets with access to rehabilitation facilities, job training, and other services.
• The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund http://www.fallenheroesfund.org/ - Dedicated to helping severely injured American veterans and their families.
• America's VetDogs http://www.vetdogs.org/ - Helping those who have served our country honorably to live with dignity and independence whether they are visually impaired or have other special needs, by using guide dogs, service dogs, and innovative technologies