Day of Remembrance

* I think I know a little of what it’s like to be a 19-year-old soldier in a faraway land on a mission not well understood from those back home. From my duty in Vietnam 30 years ago have come lessons that I have applied in daily life ever since. One of those is my appreciation for those soldiers and their families who came before and since and gave up an easier life to protect ours.

This Veterans Day I think it wise to recommit to the values and virtues of service to others. All branches of military service, in all conflicts near and far.

Since history began, one of the reasons why soldiers could give up their youth to serve their country in lengthy battle campaigns was the assurance that their families would be taken care of, even if they fell silent on the field of battle. That knowledge and love of country was enough. Now, I ask you, do we show that same devotion to our young men and women in uniform today? I hope we do. If not, shame on us.

To me, Veterans Day will always be a day of remembrance, a day when those who came before might now look down at us with pride to see the shared appreciation of every American, for every soldier who ever walked on hallowed ground. And you, do you pause this moment, this day, to send up kind thoughts to the families whose sacrifices helped to keep this nation safe and its people free? I hope so, as I think they will know.

Is there anyone out there who disagrees that every freedom we now enjoy was paid for by the blood, sweat and sacrifice of those generations who came before and who so ably served when they were called? The only question remaining, it seems, is what will future generations say about our time and the kind of country we left them. I hope we will give them fidelity, devotion and love of country.

ROBERT HAMMER

Thousand Oaks

* This Veterans Day, I feel very concerned about our great nation being involved in so many activities that demand our immediate attention.

How easy it would be to drift away from our purpose and cast aside our sincere promise to always pray for “peace on earth and good will toward all men and nations.”

How easy it would be to think in terms of gloom instead of remembering that our nation was made great by dedicated people thinking in terms of success rather than failure, strength instead of weakness, courage instead of fear and hope instead of despair.

Faith in our system must keep us renewed and revitalized in our efforts to promote peace throughout this world. May we never forget the hellishness of war as we seek peaceful ways to settle the differences in this world and let war be the last resort in preservation of our freedom.

MANUEL A. ENERIZ

Camarillo