Veterans Day: Honoring All Who Served
This week, as Americans around the world pause to reflect on Veterans Day, we share the powerful words of a U.S. Army soldier whose poem reminds us why remembrance must also mean accountability and action.
A Soldier’s Voice
Veterans Day
I am a soldier.
I am the one percent.
I am the future my ancestors dreamed about and fought for.
I serve in the United States Army.
November 11 is not just a holiday.
It is a day of remembrance.
Soldiers who stood on the front line for a freedom
We still fight to protect.
A freedom people died defending.
From World War One to World War Two.
From the Korean War to the Vietnam War.
From the Cold War to the Gulf War.
From Iraq to Afghanistan.
Generation after generation has carried the weight of sacrifice.
Yet today the government is shut down.
Yet we don’t have true freedom of speech.
Yet we have a racist running our country.
Yet children are being separated from their parents.
And now the memorial to Black soldiers who died in
World War Two has been quietly removed.
Removed from the Netherlands American Cemetery after a complaint.
Erased like their courage did not count.
Erased like their sacrifice was optional.
When is enough going to be enough.
How much blood has to be shed before we gain our freedom.
How much blood has to be shed before we unite together.
How much blood has to be shed before the sacrifices of our veterans are honored the way they deserve.
Soldiers are not being paid.
Veterans who gave everything are watching their hard work fade into the background.
And I speak this as a Black soldier.
I wear this uniform with pride, but I am not seen as a soldier first.
I am seen as a Black person first.
My own president looks at me and sees color before courage.
Sees my skin before my service.
Not a brave woman fighting for his country, but a body he labels before he listens.
But hear me clearly.
Their work will never be forgotten.
Their courage will not disappear.
Their legacy will not die in silence.
The one percent will always carry the torch.
The fallen will always be honored.
Their hard work will not go unnoticed.
Their stories will not be erased.
November 11 will forever live in our hearts.
I am a soldier.
-anonymous
(Democrats Abroad Italy member)
The Erasure of Heroes
Across generations, American service members have carried the weight of sacrifice often without recognition, and too often, without justice. That reality came into sharp focus this week when the memorial plaques honoring Black soldiers at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten were quietly removed after a single complaint.
As reported in “An Echo of Absence on Veterans Day: The Erasure of Heroes and the Fraying of a Nation’s Soul” by MB Dallocchio (Chair, Democrats Abroad Italy VMF Caucus) (arrivalsdepartures.uk
), these plaques were not merely decorative. They were, in Dallocchio’s words, “anchors of truth, testifying that the path to freedom was paved by people of all colors and backgrounds.” The official explanation called it a “rotation of panels.” But as Dallocchio writes, “to sanitize history is to deny the humanity of those who lived it.” These soldiers fought and died for freedom in Europe and for the promise of democracy at home. Their courage cannot be erased. Their names cannot be forgotten.
Hunger Among Heroes: The Human Cost of the Shutdown
This Veterans Day, the injustice runs deeper still. Because of the ongoing government shutdown, thousands of U.S. service members and their families stationed abroad, including here in Italy, are struggling to put food on the table. An estimated 1,000 to 1,500 U.S. military families in Italy depend on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits to help feed their children. With the shutdown freezing benefits, commissary shelves are emptier, and food insecurity is rising among those who already sacrifice the most.
It is shameful that the very government our troops defend would withhold food assistance from their families. Families who serve, sacrifice, and represent America abroad. This betrayal stands in stark contrast to the values we claim to honor each Veterans Day.
As one Army spouse in Vicenza recently told local organizers, “My husband wears the uniform, but our kids are going to bed hungry. That’s not what service should mean.”
Call to Action: Demand Their Honor Be Restored — and Their Families Fed
Contact your Members of Congress today and demand immediate action:
Restore the memorial plaques honoring Black soldiers at the Netherlands American Cemetery.
End the government shutdown and reinstate SNAP benefits for all service members and families who depend on them.
Tell your representatives that Democrats Abroad will not stand by while veterans’ legacies are erased and military families go hungry.
You can find the contact information for your Senators here: Find your Senators. You can find the contact information for your Representatives here: Find Your Representative
Join the Veterans and Military Families Caucus
Democrats Abroad Veterans and Military Families (VMF) Caucus works year-round to ensure that veterans, service members, and their families are seen, heard, and supported.
We advocate for better veterans’ care, fair representation, and equal respect, both at home and abroad.
If you are a veteran, a family member of one, or simply an ally who believes in honoring those who serve with justice and dignity, join us.
Global Veterans & Military Families Caucus - Democrats Abroad
Reach out to the local Chapter the VMF here: veterans-caucus-chair@
democratsabroad.it Upcoming Events
14 November @9:00: DA Italy Monthly Country Committee Meeting
14 November @19:30: ITALY'S WOMENS CAUCUS, THEATRE NIGHT: "The Making of Marx" in English
15 November @19:30: ITALY'S WOMEN'S CAUCUS, THEATRE NIGHT: "Barefoot in the Park" in English
15 November @12:00: Abruzzo Wine Tasting
19 November @18:00: Democracy Circle in Lucca
19 November @19:00: DA Italy Speaker Series - Under Siege: The Many Threats to a Free Press
21 November @19:30: Wine Tasting in Rome
26 November @18:30: Southern Chapter Thanksgiving Eve Virtual Aperitivo
“Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never fully knew, yet still believed in.”— President Barack Obama
With Gratitude,
Leyani Redditi
Democrats Abroad Italy
Standing up for truth, justice, and democracy — at home and abroad