As a veteran and a member of the Westbrook American Legion Post 197, I annually attend a local celebration honoring our veterans. As it seems to occur every year, it was cold, windy and rainy. As I stood there shivering, I found myself thinking how much nicer it would be if Veterans Day was permanently moved to August when the temps are warm and the sky is blue and sunny. I am suggesting August because there is no federal holiday in August.
To me, the relevance of Nov. 11 is long gone. In 1954, President Eisenhower signed a bill renaming Armistice Day to Veterans Day. Armistice Day was declared in 1919 to celebrate the end of World War I. I highly doubt there are any living survivors from that era.
I would be willing to bet that events honoring our deserved veterans would be much better attended in August, adding more credence to the holiday and its intended purpose. This is just a suggestion but one, in my mind, that is truly worth thinking about. Maybe one of our elected federal officials will think so too.
John Rague
Westbrook
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