LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. - Team Little Rock Airmen remember the service and sacrifice of veterans in advance of the upcoming Veteran's Day holiday with a formal retreat ceremony at the base Heritage Park at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8.
The 19th Airlift Wing commander, Col. Brian Robinson, said it is an honor to mark the sacrifices of veterans and their families.
"Our men and women in uniform both past and present, have been, and are, the most powerful line of defense in all conflicts against enemies who set out to harm our way of life. The true strength of our military is the spirit and skill of the men and women who have worn the service uniforms of our Nation. They have answered the call to duty from all across America," Colonel Robinson said.
"To our veterans--who have engaged in combat, stability and humanitarian operations--we honor you. To those servicemembers who paid the ultimate price or who are still missing or unaccounted for--we honor you by remembering the sacrifices you and your families made for our great Nation," the colonel said. "Collectively, our nation owes our veterans and their families a debt that can never be fully repaid."
Veteran's Day, held Nov. 11 and formally known as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, honors all veterans for their dedicated and loyal service to their country. Armistice Day, as this commemoration was first proclaimed, recognized the day the ceasefire was signed during World War I, putting an end to hostilities on November 11, 1918, at 11:00 a.m., on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Following World War II and the Korean War, Congress replaced the word "Armistice" with "Veterans" in 1954 to honor all American veterans.