As Americans wade through the bargain-seeking throngs for the annual Veterans' Day sale events, it might be useful to remember what the holiday once stood for: an appreciation of the service and sacrifice of millions of men and women in wars, some of which were questionably created to resolve political goals.

So, in the spirit of what is right, let us celebrate, memorialize and appreciate those who have served…and, by the way, the many thousands who also served but wore no military uniforms.

And, as we show those respects, let us be clear about the hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, thrust into combat to serve questionable political ends.

In other words, we have much for which to be thankful…and a lot for which we should be ashamed.

For WWI vets, many of whom were caught up in the Great Depression, it took till 1945 before they could redeem their bonus World War Adjusted Compensation Act of 1924 bonus certificates.

Earlier, Gen. Douglas MacArthur crushed their "Bonus Army" encampment of Washington in 1932, which was a bid to receive cash payment of the bonuses.

Despite Hitler's aggression in Europe, it wasn't until Dec. 7, 1941 that a war-weary and isolationistic America officially entered WWII.

The appeasement of the Hitler regime had been supported by some of the most powerful industrialists and their political allies, including some of the most leading university presidents who happily welcomed major Nazi figures to their campuses.

But even as that conflict, which that tagged our forces as the Greatest Generation, subsided and we theoretically moved to the hoped for peacetime economy, our military was destined to be deployed in conflicts not always universally supported by the people of the country.

At least, just ahead of WWII and right through the Korean and Viet Nam conflicts, the draft, though not always happily used, provided a continuing means to resupply military manpower.

That reliable supply of troops ended with the decision of President Richard Nixon to sign the bill ending the draft. Conservatives tagged national service as equal to “involuntary servitude”, another term for slavery.

As a result of Nixon’s decision to set the terms of the new all voluntary army and eventual conflicts in the Middle East, our men and women had little to no reserve on which to call and were deployed and redeployed.

Military suicides grew to record rates as did family breakups because of the unpopularity of wars having men and women far from home for such protracted periods.

That army deployed to risk their lives and our tax money was earmarked for countries unwilling either to do battle or offer funding for our efforts on their behalf.

That sorry circumstance continues to prevail with still newer military commitments for puzzling reasons and for purposes not only difficult to explain but for periods impossible to determine…and of course at costs impossible to calculate.

So, as Veterans Day 2014 is just about here, and we should rightly celebrate the millions who have served under all sorts of circumstances and dangers and for all sorts of reasons, let us similarly hold some irresponsible political figures up to the light, few of which had to assume the massive personal impact of war.

Say a kind word to a veteran and apologize as well.

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Joseph J. Honick is president of GMA International in Bainbridge Island, Wash.