Military Officer - November 2007 - (Page 10)

fromtheeditor We Salute You Veterans Day is the ofﬁcial day for Americans to honor servicemembers — and their support system of families and friends — who have served in all U.S. conﬂicts. O n the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice went into effect between the Allied nations and Germany. That date generally is regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.” As many readers would point out, however, World War I ofﬁcially ended June 28, 1919, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. In 1919, President Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as the ﬁrst commemoration of Armistice Day. In 1954, at the urging of veterans’ organizations, Congress passed legislation to change the name of the day to Veterans Day. Nov. 11 is now a day on which we honor all American veterans. Of course, for an association like MOAA, every day is Veterans Day. Our mission is working for uniformed servicemembers and their families. This month, as we look to honor servicemembers, we bring you two perspectives of those who serve and sacriﬁce. One view is of military men and women ﬁghting on the front lines. The other is of families and friends who support servicemembers from the home front. Let’s begin on the front lines. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway served two tours in Iraq, where he commanded the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. As this issue went to press, the Corps had some 25,000 Marines in Iraq in nine maneuver battalions. In our story “Commanding the Corps,” page 50, Conway discusses the impact of the Iraq War on Marines and their families. MILITARY OFFICER NOVEMBER 2007 “Families get it,” says Conway, “just like their Marines and sailors get it. They believe their Marines are over there ﬁghting terrorists. They believe in their hearts that the reason this country has not been attacked in the last six years is because of what our great young men and women are doing in Iraq and Afghanistan.” Turning to the home front, let’s meet some hometown heroes who are taking extra steps to show our troops they care. American corporations, nonproﬁt groups, and average citizens — unsung heroes, all — show their support for the military community with their time, ingenuity, and generosity. Our story “With Love, From Home,” page 56, introduces a few of these hometown heroes. “It truly amazes me how much kindness has been sent our way,” says Capt. Erinn Signman, a military police ofﬁcer serving in Iraq with the 759th Military Police Battalion. “The support displayed by so many of our fellow Americans means the world to us.” On this Veterans Day, join us to salute all veterans, past and present. — Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret. PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT 10

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - November 2007

Military Officer - November 2007 Contents From the Editor President’s Page Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Chapters in Action Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Cover Story: Commanding the Corps With Love, From Home Financial Guidebook Financial Tuneups Banking on Your Time Pages of History MOAA Scholarship Recipients Faces of MOAA MOAA Scholarship Donors Member Books Advertising Index MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps MOAA Member Services Encore

Military Officer - November 2007

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