"Just a Thought" Column continues in La Prensa, 11-8

Just a Thought: Veterans Day

By Steve Walker

Tuesday is Veterans Day. As a Vietnam and Desert Storm veteran myself, I always look forward to this time of the year when people go out of their way to say “Thank you for your service.”

It wasn’t always so in the past, when thousands of other soldiers, as well as me returned from combat in the Republic of Vietnam. I returned in 1971 for a 30 day leave before deploying to my next assignment in Augsburg, Germany. I was assigned to the Big Red One as a company clerk. That tour completed my active duty commitment. From there in ‘72, I came home to San Antonio and began my career as a middle school English teacher. I spent 26 years in the public school classroom.

When I came back home, I was reassigned to the 90^th ARCOM on Harry Wurzbach Road. It began my 27 year career in the Army Reserve. Those were some great years. The highlight was being assigned for 23 of those years in the Public Affairs field.

The Army trained me to be a broadcast, print, photojournalist. Those military skills have come in handy over the years by aiding me land various civilian jobs in local radio, TV and newspaper, which also included a weekly column in La Prensa!

Looking back on my tour in Vietnam, it is now the right thing to thank veterans for their previous service in any conflict, as well as those now wearing a uniform serving in conflict or peacetime.

Back when the Vietnam War concluded, many of us heard much uglier comments as we went about our day to day business after coming home. Comments made included “Did you napalm children” to “Why didn’t you just cross the border to Canada to avoid the draft?” Thank God those days are over. Veterans are proud to serve.

Historically President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed Armistice Day for November 11th, 1919. In proclaiming the holiday, he said: 

“To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”

For those who studied history, the United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later on June 4th, 1926, requesting that President Calvin Coolidge issue another proclamation to observe November 11th with appropriate ceremonies.

On May 13th, 1938, the 11th of November was officially proclaimed a legal holiday: "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.”

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, signed a bill into law in 1954 replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans," and it has been known as “Veterans Day” since.
We have two local San Antonio natives, Santiago Erevia and Jose Rodela, who recently were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, March 18^th of this year, by President Barack Obama at the White House, along with 15 other Hispanics.

We honor them and all veterans who served from San Antonio and every state.

In all, 61 Hispanic Americans were awarded the prestigious Medal of Honor to include News 4 WOAI Reporter Cleto Rodriguez’ grandfather and name sake, WWII hero Cleto Rodriguez. There is even a highway in the Alamo City named after Cleto’s grandfather.


To all those who served, “Thank you for your service.”

As always, I write just a thought.

Steve Walker is a Viet Nam Veteran, former Journalist and Justice of the Peace.