Micah Dexter was given the choice of going to Disneyland or Washington, D.C., for his birthday. He chose D.C., but what is even more unusual is that youngster, born on Nov. 11, particularly wanted to be in the nation’s capital for Veterans Day.
Mom, Christie, said the two of them booked a five-hour flight all the way from Kansas to attend the Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, at 11 a.m., of the 11th month, of 2011.
Micah said it was worth it. The two got to hear President Obama deliver the Veterans Day speech and, with a seat right in the middle, had a clear view.
“We didn’t know the president would be speaking,” said Christie Dexter. “So it was a real surprise.”
Christie and Micah were but two of thousands of civilians, war veterans, servicemen, families, dignitaries and supporters who descended on the nation’s capital for the annual event.
It was a beautiful fall day, the breeze stirring up autumn leaves and the sun highlighting their brilliant red and golden hues.
There was much camaraderie in the air—old friends, servicemen united forever in those unforgettable years, and despite the painful memories, there was much warmth and celebration.
Participants in the Veterans Day ceremony came out in their regalia, some with glowing medals and uniforms, others in berets or jackets with former regiments emblazoned on the back.
Veterans Day is not a day to forget the fallen. The ladies in front of me were carrying bunches of flowers, “It is for her son’s grave” one said, nodding quietly to the lady in the lead.
It is also a day to honor the living, those who have returned from the battlefield or have served their country through military service.
The Veterans Day ceremony begins precisely at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns (unofficially known as The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier), and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater, where the president or vice president and other dignitaries make speeches, followed by a parade of colors by veterans’ organizations.
“The ceremony is intended to honor and thank all who served in the United States armed forces,” says the official website.
Returning Home
“I come here every year,” said Anne-Marie Harootunian, who cheered as President Obama talked about the sacrifices servicemen and women make for their country, and how much more needs to be done for soldiers returning home.
Harootunian’s husband is a veteran of Vietnam, and comes to Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and many other days to be a guide at the Vietnam War Memorial, which opened in 1982.
Like many veterans of the Vietnam War, Harootunian’s husband did not want to remember those years, nor how the veterans were treated when they returned.
“He didn’t want to come to the memorial opening,” she said, “but I told him I was going and the boys were coming with me. I wanted to see what it was like.”
Her husband changed his mind and has never looked back. “It was cathartic,” Harootunian said, adding that her husband has been a volunteer at the memorial ever since.
“It has helped him and he has helped so many others,” she said.
