By Lori Rankin
Guest writer
Here we are at that time of year again. Not Thanksgiving or Christmas. Veterans Day, November 11th. A date set aside to honor and celebrate all men and women who have served the United States of America in military service. This includes those who have served not only in wartime, but in peacetime. It isn’t a day to only remember the service men and women who aren’t with us any longer. It is a day to thank the living veterans for their service.
I am old enough I can’t remember when I first understood there was a Veterans Day or even that there was a military. I suspect it was when I started school, and we learned about it in class. It was probably during that same time frame I began to understand the people in my life who served our country. Most did not talk about their service. It would be many years before I realized the sacrifices they made. The sacrifices that all veterans make.
The first veteran I knew was my grandpa, Anfred Smith. The quiet, reserved farmer who worked hard for his family and community did not like to talk much about his service. He felt his part in World War II was so minimal and so many more sacrificed more than him, he didn’t like to place himself in their company. He was so very proud of his big brother, Marvin Smith, a Bronze Star recipient, and would talk about him. Marvin was an Army Captain and participated in the Normandy invasion, wounded at Saint-Lo. Like many of his generation, my grandpa chose to put the memories aside and move on with life. Great Uncle Marvin was different than most; while building a life after the war, he also shared his experiences. Perhaps the thing he said that stuck out most to me was when he is quoted by Steve Rabey in Faith Under Fire, “It made me appreciate life itself and made me want to live life more fully.” Both he and my grandpa had completely different experiences during World War II. However, both appreciated life and lived full lives, influencing so many.
Another veteran who was a large influence in my life was my Uncle Don Urban. He married my Aunt Jan after he served in the Vietnam War. He did not talk about Vietnam, in fact, I’m not even sure when I discovered he had served and been there. It wasn’t until shortly before he passed away this year that I learned more about what he did as a radio operator, how he came to have that job, and how he spent his time while being deployed. During his service, he was instrumental in handling communications between soldiers and family members, supporting military radio and voice communications. For a time, he was assigned to a Military Affiliate Radio Station. He seemed to become more open to talking about it as he aged and his life with us was slipping away. I can’t be sure how that time influenced his life. Perhaps his reluctance to talk about it was heavily weighed by how these soldiers were treated when they returned. Perhaps it was the things he knew happened there. Even though they were very different, like my grandpa, he taught me what being strong means, how to help others, and to be passionate about things you like and believe in.
I am grateful to know many others that have served and think of them and their service often. Several of my classmates from high school joined the military after graduation, Delbert Lowe, Mike Rodgers, Debra (Weber) Lee, Jamie Lough, and David Wilcoxson. I have met other veterans over the years, Zach Armitage, Kenny White, Herb Duncan, Lyndell Duncan, Tom Taverner, Pete Tacket, and Don Beckstrom among them. They each served in different branches, different times, different lengths of service, different ways, and in war and in peace. They all have/had a respect for our country that is unwavering. They each faced sacrifices to serve; being away from family, physical and mental health, time.
Remember our veterans and their sacrifice not only on November 11. Continue to show your thanks by displaying the flag, serving in your community, voting, donating or volunteering with veteran organizations. There are so many wonderful organizations that serve veterans and can use our support. I encourage you to research and find one, ask them how you can help. Some local organizations for you to check into: Kansas Honor Flight, Passageways, American Legions, American Legion Riders, Midwest Battle Buddies.
Passageways, Ltd. (316-721-1316, www.passagewaysltd.org) is an organization you may not be as familiar with. They specifically work with our Veterans who find themselves homeless. They help find shelter, whether it is in their own Passageways Living Center or through networking to find local landlords willing to work with these veterans. They help set up households when the veterans are ready to move into their own apartments and houses. They provide food, cleaning and hygiene supplies, household items and furnishings. They help connect veterans with mental health services and employment also. They do not get any financial assistance from government programs. That means our communities, us, make this happen. They have many opportunities available weekly that volunteers can help with, from helping a vet move to picking up donated furniture as well as financial assistance.
There are so many of our veterans that are no longer with us. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, as of 2024, there are only 66,143 out of over 16 million who served during World War II still living. There are approximately 18 million living veterans. This Veterans Day, think about your friends, family, and neighbors who have served. Speak their name. Reach out to them on this day to show your appreciation. Have a conversation with them. Ask them about their service. Visit with them about what is going on in the military today. Live a life that is worth their sacrifice for protecting our freedoms.
