Veterans’ Day 11-11

Today was Veterans’ Day, celebrated mainly by the lack of mail delivery, my credit union closing, and my favorite jewelry repairman closing. Yesterday was better–the Army ROTC Roadrunner Batallion hosted a Veterans’ Day Ceremony, with UTSA staff and faculty veterans as the guests of honor. It was short, and to the point, reminding us of the history and meaning of the day: an invocation and the Star-Spangled Banner at the beginning, Taps and a benediction at the end.

There was the usual awkward cake-and-punch reception afterwards, the kind that GIs put together when they’re not quite sure what else to do. I was able to speak with UT’s most famous ROTC graduate, (retired) General Lawson Magruder, and the Army ROTC Batallion’s new commander, LtCol Dan Mishket. LtCol Mishket was quite surprised at the lack of visibility that ROTC and the military have at UTSA, and put together the Veterans’ Day ceremony as a step in putting them back in view. Great first step, Dan–keep plugging away.

Apropos of the day, Andrew Stuttaford posted a link to this on The Corner. Michelle Malkin, the Dragon Lady of liberal nightmares, has a wonderful reprint of her column on the US Coast Guard’s only Medal of Honor recipient.