(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - Today is Veteran’s Day, when Americans remember the sacrifices made by those who have served our great country in the United States Armed Forces. This day of observance stems from the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour of 1918, when guns fell silent on the Western Front in Europe. The armistice with Germany had come into effect. Over nine million soldiers were killed in the Great War, now known as World War I, and another twenty-one million were wounded. After more than four year of warfare marked by death in casualty counts never before seen in modern warfare, the fighting stopped.

Armistice Day later became known as Veteran’s Day, when Americans take time to reflect on the myriad of sacrifices made by our soldiers. From the first days of the American Dream, when minutemen surprised British Redcoats at Lexington and Concord, to the countless battlefields of the Civil War, to the beaches of Normandy in World War II, up to today, where brave men and women (approximately 20% of active duty military personnel are women) serve our country around the world. The American soldier has been the biggest defender of our freedoms outlined in the U.S. Constitution. They have been instrumental in the success of our Great American Experiment.

About 1 in 10 Alaskans are veterans. According to the latest VA and Census date, Alaska has the highest per capita population of Native American, women, and young (aged 20-34) veterans of any state. These Americans have fought for freedoms that all of us enjoy. Thank these veterans, who live all around you, and take time to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. We are grateful for each generation of U.S. Veterans. To make a donation to the Alaska Veteran’s Healthcare System, please call the Alaska VA Voluntary Service at 907-257-4839.

Ortiz is an independent member of the Alaska House of Representatives, who has since 2015 represented the 36th District. He is the only independent in the Alaska State Legislature.

E-mail: Representative.Dan.Ortiz@akleg.gov

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