That commemoration was expanded to be a federal holiday in 1938 and officially changed to Veterans Day in 1954.

Now here we are in 2026, once again preparing to honor the veterans who have stepped forward and served their country.

Think about the conflicts the United States has been involved in since that first celebration: World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Wherever there has been conflict, it has been our servicewomen and servicemen who have been directed to get the job done.

And they have.

And that’s why they deserve so much gratitude and recognition.

I don’t believe in pretending they were larger-than-life superheroes or flawless figures who could do no wrong. They were just people like you and me who were often put into unbelievably intense situations that none of us would ever choose to experience.

And they had to deal with the consequences.

Hundreds of thousands died in combat, fighting for ideals and objectives they may or may not have agreed with. 

Countless more experienced the unfathomable daily challenges that came from the physical, mental and emotional traumas they endured.

I recently had a conversation with an older gentleman that included discussing members of his family who fought in World War II. He mentioned how they may be known as the “Greatest Generation” but how they weren’t always the greatest to their own families after they got home. 

When I think of what I’ve learned about what happened in that most horrific of all wars, it’s amazing so many did as well as they did — particularly considering our limited understanding of things like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental and emotional impacts.

Frankly, I’m not sure how many of us who haven’t served can begin to comprehend what it is like to be in the military. That lack of understanding increases exponentially when you add combat to the mix.

Because no movie reenactment or video game representation can come close to what it’s like to be in those situations.

But those who have served in the armed forces have gone in knowing it might be asked of them. 

And that willingness is why we enjoy the quality of life we have today.

We just had an election where voters selected representatives, many of whom were different than those who had been in those roles previously.

And it happened with no military violence.

We have had generals who were elected president (George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Ulysses Grant, Dwight Eisenhower, etc.) but never one who was installed by force of arms.

In 250 years, this nation of ours has been attacked and invaded, but never conquered.

I believe our servicewomen and servicemen deserve a tremendous amount of credit for those realities.

It is because of them that we live in a nation that has been place of opportunity, freedom, growth and refuge. Our nation has been able to chart its own path in so many ways. That has included making its own mistakes and dealing with its own failures — but those haven’t been imposed on us by outside forces in nearly as many ways as is the case in most places throughout the world.

Some could say our servicewomen and servicemen haven’t been tested like those of other generations and while there is truth to that, I would respond by saying that they are the ones who have to be ready in case such testing is required.

And we truly cannot appreciate that enough.

So to all of our veterans (and to those who currently serve in our armed forces), I say thank you.

May you feel our gratitude for your service and acknowledgment of your sacrifices, both on Veterans Day and always.

Jared Lloyd is the managing editor of the Daily Herald and can be reached at jlloyd@heraldextra.com.