Veterans are often the backbones of their families and communities, Sgt. 1st Class Dallas Ripper advised a small gathering Saturday morning to commemorate Veterans Day.
Military service helps develop discipline as well as professional and problem-skills, Ripper told the cohort of primarily veterans.
“I am sure that many of you have often been the one who has inspired others, whether you realized it or not.”
About 5 percent of the U.S. population, almost 18 million, have served in the military, Ripper said.
Ripper reminded the audience that Veterans Day is a day set aside to honor all American veterans of war. It began as Armistice Day, when on Nov. 11, 1918, a cessation of hostilities, or armistice, between the Allied Powers and Germany took place, signaling the end of World War I. On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed.
In 1954, Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day, designating it a federal holiday to recognize all veterans
A native of the Uniontown area and now living in Girard, Ripper’s 22 years in the Army includes deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, Ripper is in charge of human resources for the 891st Engineer Battalion stationed in Iola.
Also participating in Saturday’s program were Tom Nevans of the local VFW organization; Beck French, who sang the Star-Spangled Banner; Ben Taylor, who delivered opening and closing prayers; Maggie Barnett of the VFW Auxiliary, who released balloons in memory of veterans missing in action; and the American Legion firing squad.
