These are the words of Patrick Henry one of the founding fathers of the United States of America. And in these words, one can find the characteristics that best described the Veterans: Strong, Vigilant, Active and Brave. Such is the admiration and respect of the American people for the veterans that there is a non-working holiday for them.
Nov 11 is Veterans Day which is a federal holiday in the USA for honoring military veterans, that is, persons who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
Veterans Day, formerly know as Armistice Day, was originally set us as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on Nov. 11, 2018. In legislation that was passed in 1938, Nov 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans. In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd US Congress amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
Veterans Day is a time to honor them, living and dead, from the patriots who fought for America's independence in the late 18th century to the men and women who saved the lives of their fallen comrades on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq. Some came home to the US to become movie starts,professional athletes, generals and presidents.
Actually, majority of America's presidents came to office as veterans. Twenty six of the 46 Presidents of the USA served in the military. This list of 26 include such notables as George Washington who was the Commander of the Continental Army in the American War of Independence, Abraham Lincoln who was a Captain in the Illinois Militia during the Black Hawk War, and John F. Kennedy who was a PT Boat commander in the Pacific during World War II. The last 2 US Presidents - Barrack Obama and Donald Trump - did not served in the military and US President-elect Joe Biden did not served in the military as well although Biden's son Beau served in Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star.
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| 7 of the 26 US Presidents who are Veterans: George H.W. Bush, Andrew Jackson, Jimmy Carter, Teddy Roosevelt, John Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhower and George Washington. |
How to honor Veterans Day? The military.com website offers a few suggestions. Call your favorite veteran on the phone and thank him or her for their service. Attend a parade. Offer a veteran a discount in your business. Celebrate a veteran.
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| Richard Buco, one of the leaders of Zamboanga Runners Club |
For the Pinoy Runners Global, a federation of Pinoy running groups all over the world, it is honoring Veterans Day by organizing the Veterans Day Run 2020 which will be from Nov 11 to 15, 2020 and offering run distances of 5kms, 8kms. 10kms. 21kms and 42kms. This PRG Virtual Takbo event is being hosted by Zamboanga Runners Club (ZRC). Touched base with one of the leaders of ZRC, Richard Buco. Here is our Q&A:
Bicolano Penguin (BP): Is ZRC hosting the Veterans Day Run 2020?
Richard: Yes. First of all, thank you sa Pinoy Runners Gobal for choosing ZRC as host of the virtual run for Veterans Day 2020.
BP: How many members does ZRC have?
Richard: Have more than 100 members. 90% active members. Thank you for the leadership by the set of officers. Leadership by very active president Mary Joanne Lim, Vice President Noel Ade and Race Director Alex Resurrection.
BP: Are there members/veterans of of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in ZRC?
Richard: Some members of the Club are PNP, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard.
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| ZRC President Mary Joanne Lim |
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| ZRC Vice President Noel Ade |
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| ZRC Race Director Alex Resurrection |
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| The running playground of ZRC is a diverse one. You like hills for breakfast, there is the Lantawan View in Barangay Dulian. |
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| You like long runs on a road lined with verdant trees for lunch, there is the Muruk Haven in Barangay Pasunanca. |
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| Trail run along a watery creek is your cup of tea, there is the Kampana Trail in Barangay Lumayang. |
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| With 90% of its 100 members active, ZRC usually has the biggest delegation in the local runs in that part of Mindanao. This is the 2nd Zamboanga City Marathon (2019) |
Veterans Day is an American Holiday but we Filipinos celebrate it too. As a CNN Philippines article last year tells it, November 11 is Veterans Day in the United States - and in every other place it waged war in. In the same article, the US Embassy Charge D'Affaires Michael Klecheski was quoted as saying:
"America honors veterans as heroes of liberty. That honor is bestowed upon any soldier who fights America's war - whether or not that soldier is American."
Indeed, there are heroes of liberty among us Pinoy runners and among the dearest family and relatives of PRG members. Here are some examples.
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| Ralph Sarmiento is a Pinoy runner based in San Antonio Texas. He is a US Army veteran. |
To get a bit of feel of the viewpoint of a Veteran, the BP reached out to Pinoy runner Ralph Sarmiento. His mother is from Tangub City in Misamis Occidental and his father is from Manila. He took the time to answer a handful of questions from the BP.
BP: How many years have you served in the military?
Ralph: I served in the U.S. Army for 22 years. I was stationed all over the world, and I was deployed to Iraq 4 times.
BP: Why serve in the military?
Ralph: My father was a Navy veteran. He was enlisted and I became an officer.
BP: What is the significance of Veterans Day to you?
Ralph: Veterans Day is significant to me because it honors all those that served in the military. My best friend in college, also a Filipino-American was killed in Iraq in 2006 so Veterans Day has a special meaning for me.
BP: Did you run during the Veterans Day?
Ralph: I live in San Antonio, Texas and there are many veterans here. I ran a 5K on Sunday in honor of Veterans Day.
Reah Lei Diaz-Norris served for 8 years with the US Navy Seabees. She is a member of the Pinoy Runners USA in the DMV (9DC, Maryland, Virginia) area.
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| The husband of Bernie Marti of Pinoy Runners Chesapeake is a staff sergeant in the US Army. |
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| The husband of Pinoy Runners Guam's Aileen Honrado is a master sergeant in the US Air Force. |
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| Jacqueline Donor of Pinoy Runners Guam has 2 brothers-in-law who are in the US Military. |
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| My fave cousin Virlita served in the US Navy. |
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| My uncle Virgilio served in the US Navy in the 1960s and 1970s. Among the ships he served in is the aircraft carrier USS Hancock (CV-19). |
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| Another cousin, Manoy Hermel served in the US Navy in the 1980s to the 1990s. |
Veterans are well loved and well respected by family, relatives and the community. The military, where the veterans come from, is to be the defender of the people. However, there are many horror stories of the military taking over a government in a country in South America, Africa, Asia and even in parts of Europe , resulting in a ruling military junta notorious for corruption and ruthless killings of its own citizens.
But not in the United States of America. Why is this so? Perhaps these recent words from the top general in the US Military would explain why this is so:
"We are unique among militaries. We do not take an oath to a king or a queen, a tyrant or a dictator. We do not take an oath to an individual. No, we do not take an oath to a country, or a tribe or religion. We take an oath to the Constitution. And every soldier that is represented in this museum, every sailor, airman, Marine, Coast Guardsman, each of us will protect and defend that document, regardless of personal price."
That top general is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley and he delivered these insightful words during the formal opening of the National Museum of the United States Army in Fort Belvoir, Virginia held on Nov 11, 2020 Veterans Day.
Loyalty to the Constitution. Loyalty to the ideals of democracy and liberty. That is what a veteran is and should be about.
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