A salute to all veterans

By Charles Sercombe
Hamtramck veterans and guests once again observed Veterans Day with a quiet ceremony at PLAV Post 6 on Wednesday.
This year, several more guests than usual stopped by, thanks to word being spread through social media and other sources.
Still, the truth remains: the number of local veterans continues to shrink each year.
Attending this year were newly-installed Mayor Muhith Mahmood and former mayor Karen Majewski. Also on hand was former city councilmember Kathy Kristy.
Hamtramck fire fighters were also present.
No other current or former elected or city officials attended, which is not unusual in recent years, as elected officials have become less engaged in many long-standing city events.
Post Commander Mark Widzinski read a statement commemorating the day. Here is what he had to say:
“Today marks the date that the armistice was signed that ended the Great War, now known as World War I. The armistice was signed on the 11th month, 11th day 11th hour at the 11th minute. November 11 is now called Veterans Day.“So why do we have veterans Day?
“After all, veterans are present in every aspect of our society. They are male and female, cops and robbers. They are givers and takers, they are famous and unknown.
“Members of the military, especially newly enlisted young adults were, for the most part, good ordinary reliable citizens. But there was also a good number who were immature, ill-mannered and rough around the edges.
“They are from every town in America. There are reminders of veterans in numerous locations, such as: city halls with outside statues of soldiers, city parks with monuments, reserved parking spots at Home Depot next to the handicap spots, or in hospital parking lots next to the spots reserved for expectant mothers.

“Reminders of veterans are so commonplace that we don’t see them anymore. And, in some people, familiarity breeds contempt.

“So, we have Veterans Day, a day set aside by the federal government for us to pause and recall our veterans. It is one of the most significant days on all the calendar.
“This day holds a special place in our hearts. It is day in which we pause to honor the men and women who served our county in uniform.
“They left the comfort of their homes, often for long deployments filled with anxious nights. Many of our veterans delayed their educations, careers and families to serve our county. Many were volunteers, but some of us, such as myself, were conscripts.
“So, the Federal governmental set aside this day to remember our veterans. Often, banks are closed, city halls are closed, and mail service is stopped to allow us to honor our veterans.
“We pass by statutes of soldiers and don’t even pause. Statues of soldiers are often placed outside the main entrance to city hall. The symbolism is that those buildings, which contain our three branches of government, will be defended.
“Sometimes you will find a roll of the names of local residents who were killed in action. This shows the price that we are willing to pay to maintain our way of life.
“This is why we have Veterans Day — to break the monotony of everyday life. We pause and say, ‘Thank you for your service.’ Veterans … whether they deployed or did not, they served.
“Two hundred and fifty years ago, our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. Doing so, they risked their lives and fortunes to establish the American republic — one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
“It was our first soldiers — rag-tag farmers, city dwellers, frontiersmen — who faced the most powerful military in the world. And, with the help of the French army, including Col. John Francis Hamtramck and his troops, the Americans prevailed.
“And I have it on good authority — Bill Kozerski, late mayor of our great city — that Hamtramck, at the end of World War II, had the highest number of veterans, on a per capita basis, of any city in the county. I think this shows the love our parents and grandparents had for their county.
“It is today’s veterans who re-affirm the faith, courage and unity of our founding fathers. The founding fathers who shaped the character of our nation, with the military as the backbone.
“Today, in society as a whole, we must do more than simply pay our taxes and vote. We must engage in community life, strengthen our institutions, and place the common good above our own personal interests.
“Many, many veterans posts, such as the two we have here (in Hamtramck), are engaged in community activities. We support our community with charitable contributions. The Veterans of Foreign Wars have a slogan: ‘All gave some, and some gave all.’
“This slogan is incomplete, as veterans continue to give. Our two posts here support Hamtramck High School athletics, Hamtramck Goodfellows, Hamtramck Friendship House, the Fisher House, area church soup kitchens, our VA Hospital, and national organizations such as the USO and Red Cross.
“This is why we have Veterans Day. To remind the county of all the good work our veterans have done — and continue to do.
“So now, I ask you to raise your glass, and salute all our veterans with that well-known phrase:
“‘Thank you for your service!’”
Posted Nov. 13, 2026