This week is a time for honoring all those who have served in the United States armed forces.

Friday is Veterans Day – an annual observance held each Nov. 11. Unlike Memorial Day, which is set aside each May in honor of those who died in military service, Veterans Day is dedicated to all veterans of all branches of our military.

Nov. 11 was selected as the date for Veterans Day as the federal holiday evolved from the original Armistice Day. That holiday marked the anniversary of the end of World War I, which formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect.

The holiday was renamed in 1954 after a World War II veteran, Raymond Weeks of Alabama, proposed that all veterans be honored with a federal holiday. Weeks led national celebrations of Veterans Day beginning in 1947 and continued to do so until his death in 1985.

Obviously, Weeks was right. We, as a nation, owe a debt of gratitude to all the men and women who have donned military uniforms and put their lives on the line for us. Countless individuals have served and sacrificed during our 240-year history, with some ensuring our safety and security during times of peace and others risking everything to defend our nation and much of the rest of the world during times of war.

I have known a number of veterans in my life, beginning with my own father, the late James L. Compston. My dad served in the U.S. Merchant Marine and the U.S. Army during WWII. It was a simple fact of who he was – he didn’t dwell on his wartime experiences, he didn’t march in parades with other veterans and he didn’t talk much about his time in the military. He felt that he had simply done his duty by fighting in the war.

Dad was just a teenager when he left the small city of Wellston, Ohio, bound for Europe. During his time there, he was shot, he was wounded with shrapnel, he befriended other soldiers and many of the people they encountered as they helped the Allies defeat Hitler and the Nazi regime. When he did talk about his time there, he often reflected on orphaned or injured children he had met and helped care for – I think they had a great deal of impact on him because he was only a few years older than they were.

Dad was the oldest of seven boys in his family. He grew up hunting and fishing for food, shooting squirrels, rabbits and other game that his mother would prepare for the large family. Later in life, though, Dad did not hunt. In fact, he seemed to have a general distaste for guns and killing of any type. I think this also stemmed from his time at war.

My dad, and others like him, also did a great deal for their country after their military service was complete. Dad came home, met and married my mom, the late Grace Compston, worked hard and raised a family of three. Dad was a machinist and had a real knack for all things mechanical. As a result, he was always helping our friends and neighbors with some project, and he helped plenty of strangers, too.

Herman Zerger of Woodsfield is another WWII veteran who returned home and served his community in a variety of ways. “Zerg” as he is affectionately known, also fought in Europe. When he returned home, he became active in politics and veterans’ organizations.

Today, even in his 90s, Zerg remains active with the Monroe County Democrat Party and with the state-level party. He campaigns for candidates he supports and urges everyone to vote. He also continues to play a role with the Woodsfield VFW.

Floyd Simpson is another example of a veteran whose service did not end with his time in the armed forces. Floyd was a friend and distant neighbor of mine who farmed and cared for a Civil War-era home between Belmont and Centerville. He died in July at age 82.

Floyd served in the U.S. Army in Korea. When he came back to the United States, he attended Ohio State University, met and married wife Shirley and raised three sons at Country Mile Farm.

Floyd was an active member of Belmont United Methodist Church. He served as commander at American Legion Post 312, and he was a member of the steering committee for the Smith-Goshen Landowners Group and participated in a charitable partnership with Rice Energy. He was also acting chairman and consultant for the Drovers Trail Scenic Byway.

I could go on listing veterans I know who have made a positive impact on my life or my community. That list would include my father-in-law, Dexter Strough; my brother, Larry Compston, and his former wife, Julie; uncles, cousins, friends, neighbors and many other acquaintances.

Throughout this week and especially on Friday, schools, churches, businesses and a wide variety of organizations will celebrate veterans and their service. Free meals will be offered and assemblies will be held, and our veterans deserve all of that recognition.

We all know people who have served in the military. This week, I urge you to spend a little time reflecting on what their service means to them, to you and to our nation and even the world.