Bill Rubin

No U.S. Mail delivery. No in-person banking. Federal offices are closed. States observe holidays differently. Ever think about how a national holiday came to be?

Glancing at this month's calendar, the St. Croix Valley's know-it-all did a little thinking about how Nov. 11 is designated as Veterans Day. It took some work, but the know-it-all is a better person and his thin resume is padded as a Subject Expert.

Armistice Day and then Veterans Day

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 a ceasefire was declared between the Allied Forces of World War One and German military leaders. The U.S. was part of the Allied Forces. Fighting and bloodshed continued right up to the appointed hour of 11 a.m. Oddly, the ceasefire did not end the war. A peace treaty was eventually signed on June 28, 1919.

The word Armistice may be old and worn. It means an agreement between warring factions to stop fighting, but the legal state of warfare still exists. In WWI, fighting stopped on Nov. 11 and seven months later the war officially ended.

President Woodrow Wilson declared the first Armistice Day on Nov. 11, 1919. In 1938, Congress passed legislation that made Nov. 11 a legal federal holiday to honor WWI veterans. Later, veterans groups urged more changes. In 1954 Congress amended the 1938 act and changed the one-day tribute to Veterans Day. President Eisenhower, himself a veteran, signed the amendment.

Both Memorial Day and Veterans Day honor military veterans but different groups are remembered. Memorial Day honors members of the military who died serving their country. Veterans Day pays tribute to all military veterans, living or dead, who served in wartime and in peace.

Programs honor veterans

Across the St. Croix Valley, there are numerous opportunities to honor veterans on Nov. 11. Programs will start promptly at 11 a.m. - remember, it's the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Ceremonies follow a familiar pattern: color guard, invocation, speaker, singing, bands, three rifle volley, and of course, the mournful 24-note bugle salute called taps. Some service groups offer free breakfasts; others offer lunch; all offer the chance for veterans to connect.

Who is a veteran?

Today's veterans are diverse and they represent every race, ethnicity, gender, and economic background. They've settled into civilian life as heads of households, educators, first responders, lenders, and elected community leaders. Veterans likely won't mention their service. They are the proverbial men and women next door. Don't overlook “citizen soldiers” who are regular citizens but serve in military reserve units. Weekend drills and the dreaded deployment are stark realities.

An estimated 5,047 veterans reside in St. Croix County, according to the Census QuickFacts website. That's 5% of St. Croix's population. Women veterans total around 472 or 9% of the veteran population. Pierce County is home to a little more than 1,900 veterans or 4.5% of the county's population. Females comprise about 6% of the total or a little over 120. Veterans are aging. Over 1,000 veterans in St. Croix (20%) are 75 and older. Roughly one-third of the veteran population in Pierce is 75 and older. 

The know-it-all ends with a request. Regardless of age or gender, let's remember veterans on Nov. 11. A toast in a saloon or tavern puts it in perspective, "To the living; to the fallen." Here's to our veterans.

Bill Rubin is the retired executive director of the St. Croix EDC, a 30-year resident of the Hudson area and might be a little bit of a know-it-all.