NATO Training Mission Afghanistan

Courtesy Story

By U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Brian Ybarbo

Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airman and Coalition Forces stood in solidarity at the Camp Eggers flag circle in Afghanistan for remembrance of Veterans Day.

Veterans Day, also known as Armistice Day, or Remembrance Day, is also a day recognized by other nations that were part of World War I. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for Nov. 11, 1919. The Armistice which ended major warfare of World War I was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

The ceremony held at Camp Eggers had more than 200 in attendance, including U.S. and coalition forces. During the ceremony four flags of the four branches of the U.S. military and the NATO flag were presented.

Guest speaker, Sgt. Maj. Tommy Wong, U.S. Army retired, mentor to the Afghan Sergeant Major Academy shared his view of Veterans Day, "Veterans Day not only remembers our deceased, but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military in wartime or peacetime."

French, Australian, South Korean, Dutch, Albanian, Polish, Spanish, Turkish, and British forces all took part in the Camp Eggers ceremony honoring all veterans that served in the past and present times of war.

Maj. Marco Van Westen of the Royal Netherlands Air Force said, "The ceremony means to me to remember the veterans and what they did for our country and I have couple of good friends that I've lost."

Currently there are about 105,000 U.S. and coalition troops serving in Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Many troops have made personal sacrifices to help defend terrorism.

"Today we acknowledge those currently serving here in Afghanistan and Iraq and around the world," Maj. Gen. Richard Formica, Commanding General Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, "We are thankful of their service and we are grateful for their sacrifices. I am personally grateful for your many contributions to the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and more importantly to the building and sustainability of capabilities of the Afghan national army and the Afghan nation police."

The ceremony culminated with two minutes of silence honoring the 20 million lives lost during World War I.

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