As a kid, I still heard a lot of folks refer to November 11 as Armistice Day, remembering the end of WWI or "The Great War." The end of the war happened at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. By 1978, November 11 officially became Veteran's Day. In these unsettled times, such a day becomes even more meaningful. There will be a commemoration at the Liberty Memorial on Saturday, starting with a 9:30 a.m. parade. All over town, flags are on display. Speaking of flags, it would be pretty great to see more flags flying in our neighborhoods, especially tomorrow. It is going to be a sunny, breezy day. Perfect for Old Glory. When I was little, every house came with a place to fly the flag and, if by some strange chance, the place didn't have one of those brackets, you went to the hardware store and got one. These days, I know lots of homes still have the gadget necessary because I see flags in support of the Chiefs and various colleges...even some banners celebrating the arrival of fall. Might be nice to substitute our nation's colors for the those others, even for just a day.

Just about all of us are related to or know a veteran. My nephew served as did his father, my brother. In fact, that brother was named Airman of the Year a few years back. (I'll admit we teasingly changed that to Airhead of the Year...but that didn't mean we all weren't as proud as we could be.) My brother was actually due to retire from the Air Force back in 2001, but, after 9/11, he didn't really see how he could walk away. He stayed in for about five more years.

I know one veteran who is a part of what Tom Brokaw has rightly designated The Greatest Generation. He served in the Navy during World War II, including the battle of Okinawa. Unlike the heroes portrayed in Brokaw's book, this man never talks much about his service. He just did what he felt he should do, saw some things he'd rather not have seen, then made it back to this country's shores in one piece. His reticence doesn't make him any less a hero. He nurtured a talent with the GI Bill and got about the business of earning a living, raising a family and being a solid citizen of the country he had helped preserve.

Down in Branson, this is a big weekend. They roll out the Red Carpet for all vets. But, anytime during the year and at just about every show, they take time to ask the veterans to stand and be recognized. I suspect if the quiet man I just mentioned was ever there, he might be pretty hesitant to call attention to himself. But, I would hope he would stand up. Not really for his sake, but for ours. It's important that we see these men and women who risked it all for our freedoms.

So, to all the veterans...from the dwindling number still around from The Great War to those coming home today: Thank you for your service. Thank you for our liberty.