Indianz.Com > News > Tom Cole: Honoring the heroes who served our country
Honoring Our Heroes
Monday, November 10, 2025
Tomorrow, November 11, is Veterans Day — a day dedicated to honoring the patriotic men and women who have selflessly answered the call to serve our country as a part of the United States Armed Forces.
Veterans Day was originally established in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson, marking the first anniversary of the end of World War I. However, at that time, it was known as “Armistice Day” and was meant to honor solely WWI veterans.
In 1954, after the Korean War, Congress renamed it ‘Veterans Day’ to honor all American veterans and President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law. Since then, every year on November 11th, we have celebrated the estimated 18 million living veteran heroes, as well as the millions who are no longer with us.
So, this week, as we approach Veterans Day, I have been thinking about the constant debt of gratitude we owe to the many generations of veterans of the United States military, as it is because of their bravery and sacrifices that we are able to wake up each day with freedoms and rights that are coveted by people all around the world.
As the son of an Air Force veteran, I grew up seeing the vast sacrifices that our servicemembers make firsthand. When our men and women in uniform chose to serve, they are choosing to put the rest of the American people before themselves. They will miss holidays, weddings, funerals, and the births of their own children — and of course some will sadly pay the ultimate sacrifice. We are truly so indebted to them, as it is because of these sacrifices that we live in a safe and secure nation.
Realistically, we can truly never do enough to repay those who have served us. Our military veterans are some of America’s finest and are deserving of every ounce of our gratitude and appreciation.
However, this week, at the very least, we can honor them. So, to all those who served in the United States Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force — thank you for your service.
Tom Cole, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, is serving his eleventh term in the U.S. Congress as the elected representative of Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District. He is recognized as an advocate for taxpayers and small business, a proponent for a strong national defense and a leader in promoting biomedical research. He is considered the foremost expert in the U.S. House of Representatives on issues dealing with Native Americans and tribal governments. He is the Chairman, the top Republican leadership position on the committee, of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which he has served on since 2009. He also previously served as the Chairman of the House Rules Committee. Cole and his wife, Ellen, have one son, Mason, and reside in Moore, Oklahoma.
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