Happy Veterans Day

“It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the agitator, who has given us the freedom to protest. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, serves beneath the flag, whose coffin is draped by the flag, who gives that protester the freedom he abuses to burn that flag.” – Former Sen. Zell Miller, D-Ga.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, World War I formally ended with the signing of the armistice treaty between the allies and Germany. One year later, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Armistice Day in the United States. On May 13, 1938, Congress made Armistice Day a national holiday. In 1953, a shoe store owner in Emporia, Kansas, named Al King started a campaign to have the day expanded to include all veterans. On May 26, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower officially established Veterans Day to honor all who have served this country.

Andy Cooper returned home from Iraq in February

Here at the Nebraska Thinker, we have an enormous amount of respect for the men and women of the United States Military. These brave soldiers are our greatest national treasure, and it’s because of their sacrifice that we have the freedom to express our views freely and you have the freedom to agree or disagree with those views.

Thank you to everyone who has served. You are the very definition of what it means to be a hero.

We’d especially like recognize the family members of our staff who have served:

Andrew Lacy

• Eldon Holthus, grandfather, Air Force
• Jim Lacy, uncle, Army
• Jack Lacy, uncle, Army
• Mark Lacy, cousin, Marines
• Andy Cooper, cousin, Army
• Jeremy Farris, cousin, Navy
• Scott Chesebrough, cousin, Navy
• Ty Chesebrough, cousin, Navy

Dani Miller

• Wayne Miller, father, Marines

Benjamin Kantack

• Kelly Kantack, father, Air Force
• Ronda Kantack, mother, Air Force
• Mark Kantack, uncle, Army
• Linda Klein, aunt, Army
• Vernon Hauszer, great-grandfather, Air Force
• Russell Coash, great-grandfather, Air Force
• Alvin Ehresmann, great-uncle, Navy
• Michael Ehresmann, cousin, Navy

Nathan and Tobias Davis

• Merlin Davis, father, Army
• Chester Davis, brother, Navy
• Steve McDermott, brother-in-law, Army

Michael Folkerts, National Guard

• Curt Folkerts, father, Marines
• David Folkerts, brother, Army
• William Bendelow, grandfather, Army