11/11, 11:00 AM

I snuck away from my desk this morning to go to the VFW for a Veterans Day commemoration. Although my own National Guard service was short, domestic, and un-dangerous, it still left a strong mark on who I am today. Veterans Day is one of the lesser holidays these days, but it’s real for me, not least because I work for the US Department of Veterans Affairs part of every day.

There are maybe 150 people here today, most of whom served. These old soldiers are notable for what they have ( a bewildering assortment of caps, jackets, pins, remnants of uniform) and in a few cases for what they don’t (arms, legs).

We stood and saluted as the arthritic color guard posted the colors, we said the Pledge of Allegiance, heard the Star-Spangled Banner, invoked, blessed and appreciated. We heard the big voice of the VFW Post Commander break with emotion as he read his speech. We applauded an awful long list of invited guests, heard the service anthems and then heard more speeches. And then the band absolutely rocked the Sousa medley.

There’s no good reason to go to war, but nor is there any way to avoid it, and so here we are. And military service, wartime or not, surely shapes us as individuals and as a people. All that “I’ve got your back” has to come from somewhere, and to a very large degree I think it comes from having your hair cut short and pondering how you would handle the order to come up out of the trench.

To all those who made it back to Brattleboro for today’s buffet luncheon, and to all those who didn’t, I salute you and offer my heartfelt thanks.