OTT_A Salute to Veterans_110825 by Shaw Media

ASalute toVeterans

A Special Section Honoring

America’s Military Veterans

November 8, 2025

A DAY TO HONOR ALL VETERANS

(MS) - The month of November is a special time for the nation’s veterans. While Memorial Day honors fallen soldiers and service people, Veteran’s Day, which takes place each November, is an opportunity to commemorate the efforts of all who have been in the armed forces, with a special emphasis on living veterans. While people are encouraged to thank veterans throughout the year, Veteran’s Day is a particularly poignant time to show your appreciation for the men and women of the military.

Veteran’s Day takes place on November 11 and marks an important moment in history. On November 11, 1918, World War I, known at the time as “The Great War,” unofficially ended when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, took place between Germany and the Allied nations on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. World War I ended on paper when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Armistice Day became a federal holiday in the United States in 1938. However, after subsequent wars, including World War II and the Korean War, veterans’ service organizations lobbied for Armistice Day to be revised so it would be more inclusive of all veterans.

On June 1, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation to strike the word “Armistice” from

the holiday’s name in favor of “Veterans.” Since then, November 11 has been known as “Veterans Day” and has honored veterans of all wars.

Veterans Day was moved to the fourth Monday in October for roughly seven years under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which sought to ensure three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating certain national holidays on Mondays. But since November 11 bore such significance, many states disapproved and continued to observe the holiday on November 11. In 1975, President Gerald Ford signed legislation to return the observation of Veterans Day to November 11 beginning in 1978. Should the day fall on a Saturday or Sunday, the federal government observes the holiday on the previous Friday or following Monday, respectively, according to History.com.

The United States isn’t the only country to celebrate its veterans. Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and France also commemorate the veterans of World War I and II on or near November 11 as Remembrance Day or Remembrance Sunday.

HONORING OUR NATION’S HEROES

Elso Vince Patarozzi

Robert V. Sherwood US Airforce 1974-2014

A Tribute To Patrick Raymond Rosales

P.F.C. U.S. Army - Korea 1951-1952

Your loving sister, Vera Patrick Raymond Rosales

Arthur H. Overocker U.S. Navy - Armed Guard Merchant Marine WWII July 1942 - February 1946

Survived 2 ships torpedoed & sunk by German Subs

Leonard Mayberry U.S. Navy

Marion Marshall Caulk

U.S. Navy 9/1943 - 4/1946

M/Sgt. U.S. Army 8/1950 - 8/1953 WWII

Your loving sister, Vera & Amador Rosales U.S. Marines - WWII 1940

Gary Cavanaugh 7/26/1951 - 1/1999 U.S. Army Served 1971 - 1972

Sergeant Allen F. Speaks

E5 18th Airborne Corp. The Big Red & Veteran of a Foreign War 2005 - 2012 A Tribute To Amador Rosales

U.S. Marines - WWII

Arthur W. Overocker

U.S. Marine Corp. 1979 - 1982 (1 yr. O’Kinawa)

Wayne Eichelkraut, Sr. U.S. Navy South Pacific & WWII 1944-1946

Richard Passini April 1936 - Dec 1998

U.S. Army Served 1954 - 1957

Nick Bertok U.S. Army - Private U.S. Navy - Ensign

Max Rosales

P.F.C. U.S. Army - Korea 1951-1952

A Tribute To Max Rosales

P.F.C. U.S. Army - Korea

Your loving sister, Vera & brother, Patrick Ray

Hank Weiten U.S. Army - Sergeant

William Mitchell U.S. Navy 1931-2015 A Tribute To George Leskanich III

A1C US Air Force Korea 1930-1992

A1C US Air Force Korea 1930-1992 George Leskanich III

Mike A. Partipilo III Wood Dale, IL U.S. Navy H 1974-1979

Kathy M. Landers Army National Guard 10/20/93 - 10/20/01

Robert “Bob” Chevalier Army WWII

Ronald Landers Army - Korea 1/13/1960 - 2/15/1962

James Vincent Nagle U.S. Navy 1926 - 2014

Querciagrossa WWII - Saipan & Guam Army Corporal 1943-1946

S. Majerus U.S. Coast Guard

Wm. J. Vlastnik U.S. Army Adjutant General Corp 8/24/1952 - 9/25/1954 Dale Terry U.S. Army - Vietnam Sept. 1962 - Sept. 1965

Donald F. Martin U.S. Army - Korean War 08/31/1925 - 02/08/2002

William A. Luther U.S. Army Reserve

Baudino U.S. Army 07/26/1931 - 10/20/2016

Bob

U.S. Army Currently on 4th Deployment

Drill Sergeant U.S. Army - Vietnam Era 3/14/1972 - 1/12/1979

Lawrence

Fred M. Raikes I U.S. Air Force WWII

Spc 4 Fred M. Raikes Jr.

Walter Roach Jr.

Walter

Don Farmer U.S. Army - Korea Served 1953 - 1955

David

Debra Murray

Sgt.

Fuchs

Jack Lee Raikes

Charles Raikes

Jesse Navarro Staff Sergeant U.S. Army Rangers

Donald L. Martin U.S. Navy Vietnam Era Veteran Aug 1966 - Feb 1974

William & Don Buckingham (brothers)

U.S. Army - Korean War 1952 - 1953

Charles Gaull

U.S. Navy - Korean War 08/28/1929 - 01/21/2013

Brothers, Kevin, Kurtis, & Kristopher Lewis U.S. Airforce Active Duty

William Martin Jr. U.S. Navy - WWII 08/08/1923 - 06/07/2000

Frank Gaull Jr.

U.S. Marine Corp - WWII 10/1/1917 - 9/14/1989

Othmar Salz

U.S. Army - WWII 10/28/1925 - 3/29/2014

John F. Jessen 1/17/33 - 8/19/16 U.S. Navy Served June 1952 - May 1956

Henry Elzer

Terrance Centko U.S. Navy - Vietnam 12/29/65 - 12/28/71

Clifford A. McCollum U.S. Navy 1946 - 1948 WWII Seaman Air 1946-1994

6 brothers served 4 branches of service 3 wars = 61 years

Arnold Elzer Coast Guard 1940-1969 29 years

Norman Elzer Army 1943-1946 3 years

Joseph Elzer Army 1944-1946 2 years

William Elzer Navy 1947-1951 4 years

Robert Elzer Air Force 1950-1963 13 years Eugene A. Lee Sr.

Eugene A. Lee Jr.

Joseph M. Carey

Robert

Kosnick

Floyd Barkau

John

U.S.

1/23/2016

PVT 1st Class John

U.S.

Jillian

John G. Loeffler U.S. Army - Vietnam War 1966-1968 Germany

William Zellers U.S. Army - Korean War

David Kovalik U.S. Army - WWII 1949

Robert Hyduk U.S. Army - Vietnam

Perry Wayne Hetelle Air Corps WWII - Sergeant Born Marseilles, IL - Married & lived in Carolton, IL Joined May 1942 Tom Vandervort

Arnold Rogers Jr. U.S. Army - Korean War Staff Sergeant Nov. 1950 - Sept. 1953

J. Kieth Chapman Army Pilot - Captain 12/14/1942 - 8/3/1944

James Spivey U.S. Army -WWII 12/9/1944 - 12/14/1946 Phillipines & Japan

Andrew R. Adamchak

- 09/03/2016

Albert J. Martin U.S. Marines - WWII 11/24/43 - 4/3/46

Nistor U.S. Army Active Duty

Gerald C. Smith 3 Years Army, 2 Years Air Force WWII, 1939 - 1944

S/Sgt Donald L. Horn

U.S. Army - Vietnam

Herrera U.S. Army - Korean War

Austin Noon U.S. Marine Corps

Edward Strack U.S. Army - Vietnam War

Clyde E. Miller U.S. Navy - WWII 9/11/1942 - 3/24/1946

Clyde E. Shilts

Martin

Hawley

Joe

Tim

Lt. Col. Philip W. Youngstrum

U.S. Army/WWII

U.S. Army Reserve 1943 - 1982

David J. Hill

7/9/28 - 6/4/87

PFC U.S. Army - WWII Occupation of Japan, M.P.

Joseph Snyder U.S. Army - WWII 8/29/42 - 12/02/45 Purple Heart Recipient 8/9/43

Lowell James Bromley

William E. Brock Jr. U.S. Army - WWII 1943 - 1946

2nd Lt. William E. Brock III U.S. Army - Vietnam 1945 - 2017

Master Sergeant Timothy B. Kreier U.S. Army Rangers Green Beret Special Ops

Donald F. Gordon U.S. Army - Korean Conflict 2/15/52 - 10/20/53

Fred Barhum

Harold “Dutch”

U.S. Marine Corps

Jesse

Joseph A. Navarro U.S. Army - WWII 10/05/1922 – 05/19/1996

Joseph R. Navarro U.S. Marine Corps - Vietnam 1972-1973

Virl Schmit

Sargent Manuel C. Quiroz

U.S. Air Force - Gulf War 20 years of service until retirement date August 1, 2007

Debra K. Nelson (Barth)

U.S. Army - Germany & Korea 1974 - 1983

Marion S. Ostby U.S. Navy - S2C Seaman Apprentice Enlisted 7/30/1945 Great Lakes, Camp Parks, CA, Tacoma, WA, Adak, AK Naval Reserve

SFC Charlene (Pence) Lorentzen

U.S. Army - Vietnam Era 1972 - 1992 Retired

John R. Bodznick U.S. Army 1964 - 1966

Francis Callahan Combat Infantry 1943 - 1946 Pacific Phillipines – Luzon Half Track ran over one of his legs

Mark E. Rice U.S. Navy June 1982- Jan 1990

Charles A. Burt, Jr. 6/18/1921 - 5/10/2010 U.S. Army - WWII

Harold L. Fogarty U.S. Army - WWII European Theater 08/25/1914 - 08/14/1990

Edward J. Callahan Sr. Army Pvt. 1st Class 525 Transportation Division Bassens-France 1916-1919

Edward Claramita U.S. Army 1966-1972

Cpl. John J. Biffany U.S. Air Force - WWII 1942 - Dec. 14th 1944

George Thompson Chapman U.S. Navy – GM3/C 10/16/1957 – 8/16/1999

Edward J. Callahan Jr. Army-Staff Sargent 3rd Armored Division – Patton 1943 - 1946 / Wounded – 1945 Bastonge-France - Purple Heart

Bert C. Stone (“Stonie”) U.S. Army - WWII Germany 1940 - 1944

Daniel J. Sedlock Sr. U.S. Navy – Korean War 1949 - 1952

Delbert Lewis Chapman, PFC U.S. Marine Corps - WWII Inducted 3/29/1945 –Discharged 7/5/1946 5/8/1918 – 10/11/2002

Brandon Simmons U.S. Coast Guard Aug. 2015 – Present

Brian Greer U.S. Air Force 1987 - 2011 Flew in Somolia & Operation Southern Watch & Bosnia

Reno Pence U.S. Navy – Grenada 1979 - 1983

Joseph

Marty Biroschik

Tiensha Vietnam

James Angelico

PFC Vic Nistor III

James P. Spitzmiller Served in the U.S. Army 1958 - 1962

John W. Spitzmiller Served in the U.S. Marine Corps 1957 - 1961

Kenny Liss

Rose

Frank Vlastnik William Vlastnik Korean 1952-1954

Sam LaRock

Army – Pattons 3rd Army 1941 - 1946

Tom Spencer U.S. Marines - Vietnam Aug. 1967 - Mar. 1970

Larry Znaniecki USMC Vietnam War Louis Hancin Sr.

Roger H. Freese

William H. Belford

SP/4 Robert D. Morlan

Norman Arwood

Zachary Hughes

Theodore R. Wilson U.S. Navy - WWII

Taft Hughes

Army Mortarman

Airborne, ‘68-’69

Star, Soldier’s Medal Vietnam

James South U.S. Navy Carl A. Olsen

Brian Davis

Deryl Wilson

Donald Davis

Ronald Wilson

Vernon D. Wilson

Olsen

(Squirt) Pinn

Alec Catherwood

Steven Krieter

Garry L. Peters U.S.M.C. - Korea

Dale Peters Sr.

- Somalia

Daryle Peters

- Korea, Grenada, Lebanon, Persian Gulf

Kennith Mayne

Army - Afghanistan deceased

Michael Gladd

Navarro

Johnathan Oberholz

Army - S.F.C. Serving our Country in 2020 the Country of Jordan National Guard Army

Poldek

John C. Henry

Army - Korean War

John A. Burash

Navy - Baker 3C World War II

Donald Pouk

Joseph A. Wargo

Michael (Mickey)

John Sweet

Art Turnquist

Dieci DeBernardi

Army / Private - WWII 1943 - 1945

Rick DeBernardi

Jerome DeBernardi

Eldon J. Werth U.S. Air Force - Captain Veteran of Vietnam War

Russell (Swede) Carlson

Navy - WWII

Eugene Renkosik

Michael Fox

Wayne Haar

Forrestal

Ricky Rosales U.S. Navy - Desert Storm

Lawrence R. Cokley U.S. Marine Corps World War II

Robert J. Cokley

Marine Corps Vietnam War

Andrew R. Cokley

Marine Corps Gulf War

Anton Boetto U.S. Navy

John Boetto

Elmer Monroe Tedford

Ernest E. Janssen

John Whalen

FC3 Dawson A.

Melissa Horsley

Andy Barla U.S. Navy, 1942-1945 Died 1994

Rob Barla U.S. Navy 1992-1996

Louis Barla U.S. Marines 1956-1959

Jerry Barla U.S. Navy 1956-1959

Brian Barla

Navy 1985-1989

Robert S. Brown Vietnam War Sea bee’s

Charles Rice U.S. Air Force, Staff Seargent Vietnam Era Born 1947 - Died 2014

Dale W. Kember U.S. Army, Combat Engineer Korean War, 1951-1956

John Chorak U.S. Army - WWII

Billy J. Arnold U.S. Army Korean War

Sgt. Paul R. Missel U.S. Army Korean War, 1951-1953

Keith D. Gayan U.S. Army Stationed in Germany, 2022

Jerome A. Einhaus

Army - Vietnam Artillery 1969-1970

TSGT Dawson White U.S. Air Force, Active Duty Military training instructor for the Air and Space Force

Left to Right:

John (Jack) Gochanour

War

(Don) Gochanour

(Buzz) Gochanour

Paul Wayne Swisshelm

Army, Korean Conflict 1948-1956

Eugene (Gene) Potter U.S. Army Vietnam War

Kenneth Allan Holcomb U.S. Army, Germany Artillery Specialist - 1965-1967

Larry J. Sorenson

U.S. Army - Korea 564th QMH. 1960 Nov - 1962 April

Martin Patrick Crawford U. S. Army - 1st Cavalry Vietnam War

Edward Oster U.S. Army WWII

Benjamin Lippold U. S. Air Force - active duty Biomedical Equipment Technician, 28th Medical Group Ellsworth AFB, SD

SP/4 Brent A. Schueler Army National Guard 1983 - 1986

Dale J. McConville U. S. Air Force - Staff Sergeant Korean War - 1951-1955

Calvin C. Leason U.S. Army - 1952 - 1953 U.S. Navy - 1953 - 1955

U. S. Army - Vietnam War

Duane E. Kapp U.S. Army Aug. 1972 - Sept. 1975 Corporal

Charles I. Bassing

U. S. Army, Korean Conflict 3/30/1953 - 3/29/1955 Fort Lewis, Washington

Joseph W. Hoffman

Bruck U. S. Army, Spec. 5 1963-1965

Michael Sutfin Corporal, U. S. Marine Corps Vietnam, 3rd Marines 1968-1969

Franz Richters U. S. Army 1961-1963

Capt. Steven “Rocket” Lawless U.S. Air Force - 2018 - Present Minot A.F.B., Minot, ND

U. S. Army March 1957 - March 1959

Leo W. Schunke Sr.

Lt.

Donald

Gerald

McCormick

Mario Capra

Bruno Capra

U. S. Air Corp. 49th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Group, WWII

Gary Cody U. S. Army Vietnam 1967 Chinook Helicopter Mechanic

Harold

Lewis Captain,

Robert A Thrush Sr. U. S. Army Korean War

Eldon W. Goldman U. S. Navy WWII Chris Hoxie U. S. Army

James O’Kelly Magoonaugh II U. S. Navy, Seabees

Russell E. Thompson U. S. Army - WWII Sergeant Pacific Theater

Dwight Arneson U. S. Marines

Jack Seaborn U. S. Army - Sgt No War Station in Hawaii 1956-1961

Wayne E. Riebe U. S. Army - Korean War 1952-1954

Julius P. Berta U. S. Navy WWII

Bennett Thomas Sr. U. S. Air Force April 1955 - February 1959

Robert (Bob) Kuhn U. S. Army - Vietnam 1965-1966

James E. Cordial U. S. Air Force WWII

Lauren H. Moe U. S. Coast Guard WWII

James F. McDonald U. S. Army - Vietnam

Alvaro Perez Jr. U. S. Army 1974-1977

Ennis Mooneyham U.S. Navy – World War II 3/8/44 - 12/28/45

James R. McDonald U. S. Army

James E. Mooneyham U. S. Marine Corps. Sergeant - 1962-1966

Robert

Larry L. Linn, Jr. U.S. Navy Iran & Iraq War

Randall L.

U.S. Army, 1969-1972

U.S. Army & National Guard Served in the Pentagon in WWII, served as a judge advocate during the Korean War, retired from the guard in 1968 as a full colonel.

Elmer

Kenneth

Stephen

Larry L. Linn, Sr. U.S. Navy Vietnam War

A. Cody U.S. Army, 1951-1952 Korean War

Raymond Rick U.S. Navy - WWII

Darrel Roberts U.S. Navy, Vietnam War

Clarence Creamean U.S. Navy - Korean War

Dennis Orvis U.S. Navy, Oct. 1967 - Oct. 1969 Vietnam Era War

Joseph F. Ulrich U.S. Marine Corps Korean War

Billy Don Dean U.S. Air Force Captain, 1953-1956 Korean War Era, Stationed at Evreux Air Base, France

Sgt. Kenneth Lubanowski U.S. Air Force, 10 years

Chuck Dattilo U.S. Army Vietnam War

Robert E. Mills

Anthony Chorak U.S. Navy - WWII

Eugene W. Datti

U.S. Army, 1965-1966 Vietman, Spec4 Signal Corps

E. Crank U.S. Army 1970-1972 Cold War, Germany A Btry 3 Bn 76 Arty.

E. Kopija Sr. U.S. Navy, 1959-1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, Aircraft Carrier USS Independence

Redmen

Vietman, Specialist 4

Joseph N. Mazzola U.S. Army

Donald Schmillen U.S. Army Korean War

(Bud) Linn U.S. Navy - WWII

Jakob K. L. Weiss E-5 -U.S. Army

Fort Benning, GA - Germany 2020 - Present

Presslie G. A. Gillen

Weiss E-4 - U.S. Army Reserve Illinois - Germany 2019 - Present

Brothers (Not pictured)

Joseph Madara U.S. Army 1943-1945

John Madara U.S. Army 1941-1945

Eugene Madara U.S. Army 1961-1963

James Madara U.S. Army 1963-1964

Edmund Wisniewski U.S. Army - WWII

Michael D. Pufahl U.S. Air Force October 1984 - April 1992

Richard William Jurden U. S. Navy

Cpl. Norman Hall U. S. Army - Korean Conflict

Victor L. Hackler Sr. U.S. Navy - Cuban Crisis USS Salamonie (AO-26) 1962-1964

Benjamin J. Conness U. S. Army - 40th Infantry Division, 2nd Battalion Korean Conflict

Cpl. Orville A. Eltrevoog U.S. Army - 10th Infantry Div. Korean War - 1952 - 1954

MSGT Kimberly Cole U.S. Air National Guard - Peoria Full Time Active Duty

Mervin Eutis SFC U.S. Army - Korea 120th COMBAT ENG BN, 45th DIV

Ralph Madara U.S. Navy - WWII 1944-1946

William Peterson U.S. Army - Korean War

Dale A. Lesak U.S. Navy, 1964 - 1968 Vietnam Era

Ed Comrie U.S. Army - Vietnam War

Merrill Osmond U.S. Navy - WWII

Lee McCumsey

David Osmond U.S. Army

Ronald S. Gribble U.S. Air Force

Francis “Rudy” Maierhofer U.S. Air Force - Korean War

Philip (Lloyd) Carr U.S. Army, 1956-1958 Germany 1955

Jonah Lamboley U.S. Army - Active Now

Edw J. Hrasch U.S. Army WWII 318th Infantry Division, Rhinelander Campaign. Received Purple Heart

Michael C. Dunlap U.S. Marine Corp - Vietnam

Charles Castaneda U.S. Marine Corp - Korean War 1953 - 1957 Became a Sergeant May 1956

Albert Dale Terry, Jr.

Lyle Hathorn

W. F. Mack McKanna U.S. Navy Vietnam Era,

Raymond Darrell Catton Navy-1945

Pamela

Earing

Ronald Fanti

Daniel Petersen

Army

Cpl. Louis Goetsch

John Slingsby

Donald

Virgil (Skip) McCumsey SP-4 U.S. Army May 1962 - May 1965

John Rose

Donald V. Topolski U.S. Navy / Vietnam 1962 - 1966

Lester W. Fleming U.S. Army 1960 - 1964

GySgt. Danny R. Schlicker U.S. Marine Corps 1975-1995

William J. Sedlock 6th Armored Division

Richard K. King U.S. Army / Vietnam 1966 - 1968

Cpl. James Brown

Charles W. Eplin

Howard Breeden

Denny Bute

1st Lt. Ivan Hall U.S. Navy / 1943-1951 Battle of Midway WWII

Sgt. Don Hall U.S. Air Force / 1959-1963 Radar Technician

SPEC 4 Pete Hall U.S. Army / Military Police 1967-1973 Vietnam

Roger Hilton U.S. Army/ Korean War 1951-1953

Jim Schott U.S. Air Force/Vietnam era and Panama-Cuban crisis 1962 - 1966

Thomas Bellis U.S. Army Korean War

Daisy Rivera U.S. Army - Gulf War era 1984 - 1992

Randall J. Hart U.S. Army / Vietnam Era 1973 - 1976

David Elmore U.S. Army

Jim Kakara U.S. Air Force

Connie Swavota U.S. Marine Corps

Michael Shelton U.S. Army / Vietnam 1968-1969

John W. Oller U.S. Army 1954 - 1960

Sylvester “Butch” Benckendorf U.S. Army / Vietnam 1965-1967

Paul Eiben U.S. Navy / Navy Reserve 1943-1983

Allan “Tim” Munson Army Medic U.S. Army - Korean War 1956 - 1958

John E. Duffy U.S. Army / WWI

Sylvester Mitchell U.S. Army - WWII 1943 - 1945, Private First Class Company L 7th Infantry Purple Heart - Bronze Star

Ken Bruck U.S. Army / 3rd Infantry Division 1966-1969

How to express your appreciation to military personnel

Members of the military perform an invaluable service. In volunteering to defend their nation and even vulnerable individuals across the globe, military members safeguard a way of life that enables millions of people to fulfill their potential and live happy, productive lives.

Much of what military members do is out of the public eye. But that does not mean their sacrifices and heroic efforts should not garner public recognition and attention. Be it small and subtle gestures or more grandiose efforts, there are many things people can do to show their appreciation for military personnel.

• Display the flag. Displaying your nation’s flag outside your home is a great way to express your patriotism and support for the people who defend that nation each and every day. Both the United States and Canada have established protocols for displaying their national flags. Adhere to these rules to indicate you respect what the flag symbolizes and appreciate the sacrifices the people who defend it make to ensure you have a safe place to display it.

• Start an oral history of local veterans’ experiences. An oral history project is a great way to show veterans their sacrifices have not been forgotten and an even better way to ensure they never will be. Work with local government officials or military support organizations to begin an oral history project. Request assistance from officials at local universities or libraries for everything from funding the project to ensuring it is accessible to a wide audience. There’s no limit to the scope of an oral history project. Organizers can begin by asking veterans to share their experiences in the military, what compelled them to volunteer and why it’s important that future generations follow their example. As the project progresses, the scope can be expanded (or narrowed) but organizers should ensure local veterans remain the focal point.

• Help injured veterans. Many military service personnel who serve overseas return from active duty with injuries. Individuals who want to express their appreciation for military personnel can offer to help injured veterans. Whether it’s mowing an injured veteran’s lawn in the summertime or running errands for them when their injury causes fa-

tigue, no gesture is too small or too big when it’s motivated by a desire to help someone who was hurt defending your country.

• Remember veterans when voting. Issues that affect veterans’ lives are often decided at the polls. Individuals who want to express their appreciation for military personnel can speak with local veterans about the issues that affect

their everyday lives and what they can do come Election Day to ensure those issues are being addressed.

The efforts of military personnel are worthy of appreciation. Individuals can do many things to express that appreciation and remind active and veteran service members that their sacrifices have not been forgotten.

TF235975

The roles of the various branches of the U.S. military

Each November, people across the United States and its territories honor the brave men and women who serve and have served in the various branches of the country’s military. Veterans Day is observed annually every November 11 and honors the service of all U.S. military veterans. The day should not be confused with Memorial Day, which is celebrated each year in May and honors all military personnel who have died in service.

Veterans Day is a great time for anyone to learn more about the various branches of the U.S. military. TF22B467

ARMY

The U.S. Department of Defense notes that the Army is the largest and oldest service in the country’s military. The Army provides the ground forces that protect the United States. Members of the Army are trained to defeat enemy ground forces and to seize and control enemy lands and resources. Army also are trained to control and interact with the general population in countries where members are stationed.

MARINE CORPS.

It might surprise some to learn that the Marine Corps. is a component of the Department of the Navy. That’s one reason why it maintains amphibious and ground units for contingency and combat operations. The Marine Corps. is divided into four groups: the operating forces that fight; the headquarters for leadership; the supporting establishment that provides logistical support; and the Marine Corps. Reserve.

SPACE FORCE

The existence of the Space Force may come as a surprise to many Americans. Organized under the Department of the Air Force and established in 2019, this branch of the military organizes, trains and equips space forces in order to protect the interest of America and its allies in space.

NAVY

The Navy protects America at sea. Despite its massive land mass, the United States is a maritime nation, which underscores how important a strong Navy is to the safety of the country and its residents. The Navy works alongside American allies and partners to keep the seas open and free.

COAST GUARD

During peacetime, the Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security. In times of war, it operates under the Navy. The Coast Guard provides law and maritime safety enforcement as well as environmental protection. In addition to promoting national security, border security and economic prosperity in the maritime environment, the Coast Guard saves those in peril on the sea.

AIR FORCE

The Air Force has five core missions: air superiority; global strike; rapid global mobility; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and command and control. The Air Force defends the country and its residents in air, space and cyberspace and is capable of delivering forces anywhere in the world within hours.

NATIONAL GUARD

The National Guard is comprised of the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. The National Guard has a diverse array of responsibilities that range from supporting combat missions to responding during domestic emergencies to assisting in humanitarian efforts and more.