SALUTE CITIZEN SOLDIERS ON THIS VETERANS DAY.

Byline: STEVE VLASICH Local View

TODAY finds Americans observing another Veterans Day with fireworks, patriotic speeches at veterans halls and cemeteries, and parades. Originally named Armistice Day to mark the end of World War I (the war to end all wars), the name was changed to Veterans Day to honor all who wore the uniform of the armed forces.

From our earliest history, America has relied on her citizen soldiers to step forward in her hour of need.

During the Revolutionary War when the alarm was sounded, colonists dropped their farm tools and grabbed their muskets to fight for the right to be free.

Generation after generation of peaceful citizens learned the bloody art of soldiering when peaceful solutions failed.

During World War II, America, through the selective service draft system, relied heavily on the citizen soldier when the armed forces' strength swelled to more than 10 million. Citizens one day, soldiers the next, this hastily trained army led by a professional cadre of officers, stormed the Normandy Beach, fought in the bitter cold of the Bulge and cleaned out one rat- and disease-ridden island in the Pacific after another.

One thing that distinguished the largely draftee army was the ability of the individual soldier to think for himself - sometimes lacking discipline, but always having the ability to jump in, take charge and make decisions. This trait proved invaluable when officers were killed or captured. Both German and Japanese army units proved to be helpless under similar circumstances.

There is a comradeship born of military service that unites those who served in the armed forces. Wives of veterans marvel at the strong bond that keeps service friends in touch throughout the years. Reunions of Army, Navy and Marine units draw large crowds to annual gatherings where friendships are renewed amid wartime stories both funny and sad.

With World War II veterans dying at the rate of 32,000 each year, reunions of those who fought the Germans in Europe and the Japanese in the Pacific are dwindling, and in many cases have ended for lack of attendance as the ``long gray line'' gets thinner and thinner.

Those who want to show their appreciation to those who serve should visit the Sawtelle national veterans cemetery in Westwood located off the 405 Freeway and Wilshire Boulevard. One has only to walk through this well-maintained cemetery to feel the wave of emotion created by a tableau of headstones that seem to stretch forever. Less than a mile away is the sprawling campus of Wadsworth Veterans Administration Hospital, which is impressive. Visits to the hospital and cemetery are tangible ways to pay homage to both living and dead veterans.

In Iraq, America's pride - our sons and daughters - continue to walk the mean streets of Baghdad as they try to bring democracy to the Iraqi people. Recently we suffered our 2,000th fatality and 15,000 wounded at the hands of a crazed insurgency.

Because the Defense Department did not field sufficient personnel, thousands of citizen soldiers in the form of Army Reserve and National Guard units have been pressed into active duty and serve proudly side by side with regular Army units. And because the terrorist bullet or bomb cannot tell the difference, many of those killed and wounded come from the ranks of the citizen soldier.

On this Veterans Day, the thanks of a grateful nation should go out to all veterans who left the comfort of their homes and loved ones and put their lives on hold. They fight a shadow enemy who has no respect for life, not even their own. They risk severe injury and death so you don't have to. All they ask in return is for your support. In the meantime, they think of home and wait for the day that they can return.