Veterans Day

A Veteran’s Day Ceremony will be held Friday, November 11, 2005 at 11:00 a.m., in the Flag Staging area just outside the Administration Building. Mr. Gil Coronado, Director of Selective Service (Retired) will be the keynote speaker. Come by to honor our veterans. Refreshments will be served immediately following the short ceremony.

This event is sponsored by the Veteran’s Affairs Office and Student Activities.

On behalf of the Veteran’s Day Committee, I present my thoughts on Veteran’s Day:

For more than 200 years, our nation’s armed forces has served as the world’s premier “force-in-readiness.” Each November, Americans around the world take time to honor what was formerly known as “Armistice Day” by remembering the sacrifices of those veterans who have fought so gallantly in times of war, and have served so faithfully in times of peace. The legacy of our military’s veterans has produced a solid foundation upon which today’s Marines, Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen can march forward and add to the courageous deeds history books have recorded.

On November 11, people all across this country will remember with reverence the sacrifices veterans—living and deceased—have made for our country. They will recall all the wars and major conflicts America has engaged in, and they will rejoice with pride as they acknowledge how America’s sons and daughters have risen to the occasion in “every clime and place” by exceeding all expectations, and by giving our country true heroes.

No one really goes into war with the intent of being labeled a hero. There aren’t any special training courses one can take, no secret military job specialty, no magic pill, or background traits that solely prepares a select few for such lofty a title. Most times, it’s simply the “luck of the draw,” and the determination to not let a buddy down.

By using the term “hero,” some people may feel that I am referring to those who easily fit the conventional notions of heroism by showing bravery and selfless courage in the face of extreme physical danger. That isn’t the case here. For me, heroes are simply ordinary people performing exceptionally well in ordinary and extraordinary times.

During my 23-years on active duty, I saw young men and women, the majority of them just out of high school, transformed into the finest fighting force in the world. I believe the same is still true today. They go beyond the call of duty because they want to make a positive impact in their life and in the lives of others. Not everything they do is “great,” but then great things aren’t always needed. It’s taking care of the little things that really count.

Today, just like yesterday, we have people in the military that could make a successful career in private enterprise. They could be earning hundreds of thousands of dollars, but instead they’ve chosen to serve our country in times of war and in times of peace. They are veterans who have interrupted their educational goals, careers, and dreams to defend a Nation. America will always be indebted to them.
Sometimes I turn on the TV and I hear “where have all our heroes gone?”

I know where.

They walk the grounds of Palo Alto College, the streets of San Antonio, and the towns and cities of America. They wear, or have worn, our country’s uniform proudly. They serve in remote places away from families and friends during holidays such as Fiesta, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. They have taken off a semester of college, or have postponed it indefinitely, in order to answer a higher calling. They sometimes tend to be overlooked during times of peace, but are the first ones to be called upon when hostile actions arise. And they respond—valiantly.

What kind of people are these heroes?

I know.

They are the sons and daughters of a proud nation. They are veterans. They are your colleagues, or even students, here on campus, and throughout ACCD. They come from the city and the farm; from community college classrooms and the streets of el barrio; and they come from the right side and the wrong side of the tracks. Some bring with them GEDs while others carry college degrees, and some bring with them problems representative of society while others are as naïve as a newborn baby. Some have served in the military just to prove something to themselves. They wear, or have worn, this country’s uniforms proudly and I respect them all.

When America needs a hero, it doesn’t need to look beyond its military and her veterans. I know, for I have proudly served with them. Please remember Veteran’s Day solemnly, and if you serve, or have served in the military, Thank You.

Capt. Vincent Bosquez, USMC Ret.