60 gather to honor local veterans – despite the rain

It’s been 90 years since Armistice Day, the end of what was then called The Great War, the “war to end all wars.”

“It didn’t quite work out that way,” said Jim Thomas, district commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Thomas spoke at Baker City’s Veterans Day observance Tuesday. He said he fears that the war to end all wars is yet to be fought.

“As long as there are nations and leaders who feel that picking on the

world’s mightiest power will make them look like a tough guy, ” there

will be future wars, Thomas told a crowd of almost 60 people.

“Unfortunately,” he lamented, “we will lose many more men and women.”

The eight-minute ceremony was held in a steady drizzle, but the

traditional collection of flags made it a colorful event. Not only was

the Stars and Stripes present, but so were the flags of branches of the

armed services and flags honoring prisoners of war.

Each flag was carried by a veteran.

The nation may formally honor veterans only one day each year, but “in a way, every day is Veterans Day,” said Thomas, a Vietnam veteran.

“Freedom is bought and paid for in blood, sweat and, too often, the lives of our veterans,” Thomas said, noting the long list of Baker County residents who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Their names are affixed to the veterans memorial in front of the Courthouse and illuminated by an eternal flame.

When the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are over, “hopefully we won’t have to add too many names” to the memorial, Thomas said.

Thomas said that wearing a military uniform “makes you stand out, and we appreciate it when all of you honor us on Veterans Day. You find people who will thank you for your service, and it’s nice to get that pat on the back. Those hard times we had to endure stand for something.”

He urged veterans to take advantage of the services available to them, which include the county’s veterans service officer, Jane Chandler; David Noah, the Disabled American Veterans transportation coordinator; and some of the county’s service clubs, including the Elks, Eagles, Amvets, VFW and American Legion, whose “job it is to help vets, and we’re glad to do it. Do you just need someone to talk to? We’ve always got people you can talk to.”Thomas said he and President-elect Barack Obama don’t have much they can agree on politically, and yet “I never thought I’d live to see the day when an African-American was elected president.”

“I’m eager to see what President Obama does to further assist our veterans,” especially those returning from fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, Thomas said.

Those in attendance Tuesday have already done their part to assist veterans, Thomas said.

“From the bottom of my heart,” he said at the end of his talk, “thank you for supporting veterans.”