Veterans Urged to Wear Military Medals on Veterans Day

American Forces Press Service ^ | Donna Miles

[SandRat]

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2006 -- With National Veterans Awareness Week under way and the national Veterans Day observance on Nov. 11, the Veterans Affairs secretary is urging all veterans to show their pride by wearing their military medals.

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Veterans Pride initiative encourages all veterans to wear their military decorations this Veterans Day, Nov. 11.  '(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

R. James Nicholson’s “Veterans Pride” initiative calls on veterans to wear the medals they earned while in uniform this Veterans Day to “let America know who you are and what you did for freedom,” he said.

The campaign is modeled after a tradition in Australia and New Zealand, countries that honor the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, or ANZAC, every April 25. The observance originally commemorated more than 8,000 Australians killed during the battle of Gallipoli during World War I, but now honors all Australian and New Zealand veterans.

Last year, while attending ANZAC ceremonies in Sydney, Nicholson said he was struck to see all the veterans and surviving family members wearing their military medals and campaign ribbons.

“It focused public pride and attention on those veterans as individuals with personal histories of service and sacrifice for the common good,” he noted in a message to veterans. “That is why I am calling on America’s veterans to wear their military medals this Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2006.”

Nicholson and leaders of major veterans groups announced the initiative during an Oct. 18 ceremony here at the VA headquarters.

Wearing their medals, he said, “will demonstrate the deep pride our veterans have in their military service and bring Veterans Day home to all American citizens.”

“We expect Americans will see our decorated heroes unite in spirit at ceremonies, in parades and elsewhere as a compelling symbol of courage and sacrifice on Veterans Day, the day we set aside to thank those who served and safeguarded our national security,” Nicholson said at the ceremony.

Nicholson and the veterans group leaders hope to start a new tradition in which U.S. veterans wear their military medals every Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Fourth of July.

More information about the Veterans Pride campaign is posted on the VA Web site. The site also helps veterans determine where to go to replace lost medals or to confirm which decorations they’re entitled to wear.

[SandRat]

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Poor John Kerry - threw "his" over the Whitehouse fence...

[CWOJackson]

He still has his Jane Fonda Distinquished Service Award and Cindy Sheehan Campaign Ribbon.

[GreyFriar]

perhaps worth doing on the 12th too.

[Past Your Eyes]

Maybe I'll just carry around my 2 DD 214s.

[Rockiesrider]

Or Silver Star with Combat "V"

[AlaskaErik]

All I have are ribbons. And medals wouldn't look right on my parka. I'll save the memorabilia for my I love me wall.

[clamper1797]

Mine are sewn to my clamper vest

[Brucifer]

I'll wear my Fireguard Medal. It's the only one that anybody ever actually physically gave me. Who knows who got the rest of 'em. Well, I look patriotic enough on my DD214. And in the mirror every morning when I shave.

[ops33]

While I don't have a lot of medals I think I would just be a little embarrassed to wear them in public.

[SandRat]

Each Veteran's Day, Memorial Day and Independance Day for the city parade I get back in my full Class A uniform and participate in the parade and cermonies afterward.

[CWOJackson]

Golden Corral's Fourth Annual Military Appreciation Monday

NEWS RELEASE

(10/27/2004) — Free dinner to our nation's military, past and present. To show our thanks, Monday night, November 15, 2004 from 5-9PM. Veterans' Day honors our military personnel, past and present, for their willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. All 400+ Golden Corral restaurants spanning 39 states join together once again to offer these patriots a Free "Thank-you" Dinner Buffet on Monday Night November 15th from 5-9PM.

Reserves and National Guard are included in this special recognition offer.

Once again the Disabled American Veterans Organization with 2.3 million disabled veterans, their families and survivors, will have members in the restaurants to distribute literature, sign up new members and volunteers, and accept donations in support of the DAV.

An estimated 252,000 veterans attended last year helping this event raise over $241,000 for the DAV.

[seasoned traditionalist]

It will interesting to see whether The-Snake-Rat-Bastard-Traitor will be wearing his--well most of his as some are in a Museum in Vietnam

[Brucifer]

If you raised your hand and stepped across that line you've got all the medals you'll ever need. None of us knew we'd get out in one piece or even alive. Everybody I knew joked about the National Defense Service Medal, but from where I come from, that medal means a lot too.

[zot]

"perhaps worth doing on the 12th too."

I still haven't gotten used to the idea of wearing them on a civilian jacket, though I have seen a few people wearing the miniature medals.

[screaming eagle2]

no problem.I have small versions of mine on my ARMY ball cap. Drives anti- military types NUTS.