Veterans Day 2015

Today is Veterans Day in the USA. November 11th was originally called Armistice Day, in memory of the end of World War I. It is now called Veterans Day in honor of all U.S. military veterans. Many of my family members are veterans. I wish to make special recognition today for and to:

1. My Dad (Col. B.F. Simmons, USAF, retired, pictured at left), my late Grandfather (Jefferson L. Simmons, Mississippi National Guard in WWI in France, pictured below Dad), my late Uncle Franklin Simmons (Navy "Sea Bee" in WWII), Uncle Terrell Simmons (US Army), Uncle Charles Shirley (Air Force), Uncle Hal Shirley (Army National Guard), my late Uncle Cranford Nelson (Navy), Cousin Harry Nelson (Navy), Cousin Jimmy Walters (Marine Corps), Cousin Shain Vice (US Army), Brother-in-law Gary Meier (US Army), nephew Dale Meier (US Army, 82nd Airborne), and any other family members I'm forgetting.

2. All our men and women serving and protecting us on the front lines of Afghanistan, and many other dangerous places around the world.

3. All current and retired American veterans.

4. The families of those lost in Vietnam, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan, and so many other places. I am thankful and grateful.