Fall is also the time when we celebrate Veteran’s Day. This year the holiday (previously known as Armistice Day) falls on Wednesday, November 11. Veteran’s Day was first celebrated to mark the end of World War I. Though the date remains the same, the holiday has been expanded to honor U.S. veterans from all wars and the men and women of our armed forces. We owe so very much to our veterans and our current servicemen and women. We must never forget their sacrifices. There are groups actively engaged in the good work of making sure our veterans are never forgotten. The Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation (NVVMF) is one such group. The mission of the NVVMF is “to develop, erect, and maintain a memorial to honor all Veterans who served during the Vietnam War and to further provide a lasting historic educational account for future generations.” The NVVMF supports and honors over 44,000 Vietnam veterans who call Nebraska home. The really exciting part of this project is that the memorial will be located in the boundaries of the Papillion La Vista Community Schools. It will be located at 11691 S. 108th Street near SumTur Amphitheater in Papillion. My wife Amy and I agreed to serve as Honorary Committee members of this very worthy cause. We will be joining several notables including former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and former Nebraska Governor and Senator Bob Kerrey both of whom are Vietnam veterans. We are pleased to have been asked to support such a worthwhile cause that honors our Veterans. With your support, Nebraska and PLCS will soon be a home for this new memorial. Honoring veterans is deeply important to my family. One grandfather was killed on a training mission during World War II serving as a B-26 bomber pilot. Another grandfather was a Marine who fought in the South Pacific during World War II. My Grandpa Rikli brought back from the war a Japanese katana sword that hangs in my home, a constant reminder of the hardship and struggle that he and so many other veterans endured. Thanks to everyone for a productive start to the 2020-21. If you would like to know more or support the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, please visit https://nvvmf.org/. If you see a veteran in the community, please thank them for their service. Greatness Happens Together!
