Today, Nov. 11, is Veterans Day. Veterans Day was first established in the United States as Armistice Day to celebrate the end of World War I. In 1954 the national holiday was changed to Veterans Day, and President Dwight Eisenhower called on all Americans to recognize the bravery and sacrifices of America's veterans.

Since then, Veterans Day has been observed as a national holiday, but like so many other things today it has lost its meaning. Veterans Day is not about supporting war or about supporting a certain political party or agenda. Veterans Day is about the veterans. It is about honoring their service for our country. Veterans Day is about recognizing that these brave men and women are ready at any time to serve America when it is in danger.

In World War I, America's veterans answered the call to fight the war to end all wars. They fought to keep freedom and liberty in countries a world away from home.

In World War II, America's veterans stormed the beaches of Normandy. They fought for the boys of Pearl Harbor, for the defenseless in Europe and for freedom. They raised the flag at Iwo Jima and brought peace and freedom back to the world.

In Korea, they fought for the ideals and beliefs that founded America. They fought to preserve what their comrades had fought for in WWII.

In Vietnam, veterans answered the call to fight for America's way of life. Even as those they fought for turned their backs on them, they held their heads high and fought valiantly for God and country.

In Desert Storm, they fought once again to prevent the innocent from being destroyed by the evil aggression of a mad man.

In Afghanistan and in Iraq, America's veterans fight against a faceless evil, one that is bent on opposing freedom and democracy at all costs. Now, perhaps more than ever they are being tested and are prevailing.

Across America, veterans and their families and friends will gather in American Legion Posts and Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts to remember. It is the duty of citizens to thank them. That is all Veterans Day is about. It's not about elaborate parades or ceremonies, or even about helping veterans. Veterans Day is about remembering the sacrifices of America's veterans and of their families.

Veterans Day is a holiday that deserves to be marked and yet every year it seems that this day has truly lost its meaning.

In fact for many veterans, Nov. 11 is about their friends and fellow soldiers that did not make it home to celebrate Veterans Day. Veterans are not just aged men in VFW Posts, they are everywhere. They are parents, grandparents, siblings and friends. They are our peers in classes and our friends. Just as they are altruistically ready to take up their country's call and defend America's freedoms and its way of life, America's veterans return and seek no gratification for putting their country before themselves and their families.

Nothing can repay a veteran for the sacrifices they have made. No amount of money or thanks can dilute the memories of the living hell that is war. Nothing can replace the amount of time spent away from loved ones who remain at home. Nothing can bring back the lost friends and family members that died in the service of our country. However, simply acknowledging a veteran's service and the sacrifices that accompany it is more than enough.

Veterans Day is also about the families of America's veterans who remain at home. They are they ones who wait anxiously every day for any news of their loved ones who are abroad. The families of America's veterans also deserve recognition on Veterans Day. Some have said goodbye to their loved ones for the last time. These families deserve our support. As a service to America's service men and women, it is our duty to help their families who remain at home.

At some point today, think about what Veterans Day means. Think about the countless sacrifices that our veterans go through every day of their service so that all Americans can live better lives than anyone else in the world. Think about how some soldiers left America's shores and never came home. Think about how the ones that lived to come back to us carry physical and mental scars from their service.

If possible, thank a veteran, whether they are a stranger you meet for a brief moment at a Veterans Day ceremony or whether they are a friend or family member that you have known forever. Let them know that their sacrifices have not gone unnoticed and that America is eternally grateful for their service. If you can't thank a veteran for their service, mark the day. Take a minute to remember what America's veterans have done for each of us, think about the sacrifices veterans and their families make every day.