As you all know, next Monday we do not have classes. We take this one day out of our busy lives to salute those who serve and have served our great country through military service. Or maybe this is news to some, as it seems Veteran’s Day is becoming a holiday in which less people are paying tribute to those who have given everything – including their lives – to protect the freedoms Americans sometimes forget are not free.

Nov. 11 is not just a day the government made up and decided it would be a good time to remember our veterans, there's a lot of history behind this day. Veteran’s Day was formerly known as Armistice Day, for on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, a treaty was signed between the Allies and Germany, officially ending World War I.

I believe it is our duty to not think of this day off as just another three-day weekend where we can all get wasted because we do not have to go to school on Monday. I am willing to bet almost everyone on campus knows someone who is serving or has served our country in a branch of the Armed Forces. Veterans themselves understand how important it is that people are recognized for everything they have done, because they have experienced firsthand what it is like – something many of us will never be able to say. It can be as simple as visiting a grave of a loved one who has died, attending a prayer service or veterans' service (like the one being offered Nov. 10 on campus), going to a veterans' parade (which are becoming less frequent) or taking a moment of silence to reflect on everything these great men and women have done for us. Write to a relative in the military, or call someone you know to say thanks, because no matter how small the gesture a few kind words can go a long way. WSU has more than 550 veterans or current members of the Armed Forces. I salute these individuals and all veterans. I respect them for taking on one of those most challenging tasks you could possibly ask someone to do: risking their life in the name of freedom and in the name of the United States of America. People need not look far if they want to see a hero, because to me the men and women who protect us daily are all heroes. Think of all the freedoms we have today no other country in the world has. We have them because these people have chosen to defend what they believe in and to defend what our country was founded on – freedom. So on this Veteran's Day, please try to find the time and remember to honor those veterans and their families, who have enabled us to enjoy the simple things in life that we sometimes take for granted.