Veterans Day is Nov. 11.

Although it started out as "Armistice Day" to celebrate the end of World War I, later on (1954) its official nametag was changed to honor all veterans. Veterans are dying at a phenomenal rate. Thousands of WW II and Korean War patriots die daily, while those of us who fought in Vietnam have lost an incredible one third from our ranks.

Not all veterans are patriots, of course, but I submit to you that most vets are truly patriotic. A patriot is someone who feels or voices expressions of support for his or her country. I hope that includes you. If it does, please continue. If not, please don"t.

Our nation has spawned tens of millions of Americans throughout our history who volunteered or were drafted into military service, touching even more millions of lives and neighborhoods. Fighting for our freedom is indeed the honorable role of those who served before and of those who serve now in our armed forces. They deserve our respect and our reverence.

Nov. 11this year is your time to attend a Veterans Day event in your community. There are few excuses not to attend.

Today, more than ever before, we are challenged by a multitude of serious threats: Islamic terrorism, potential nuclear warfare (North Korea and Middle East adventurism), and resurgent military expansionism by Red China and Russia to name a few. But we also face very real threats from enemies within: advocates of illegal immigration, drug cartels, socialists and others who oppose capitalism and nationalism in our midst.

Islamic terrorism has killed a few thousand Americans here and worldwide. That"s terrible in itself, but we have lost even more American lives overseas defending our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan (5,267).

Thank goodness we have a strong military to defend us, but I think the strategic place to position our military forces is defending our country from American soil. We have enemies from both within and without. Defense of our borders from illegal immigration, narco-terrorists and smugglers would be a good start to insure our national security and stop social and moral decay grasping at our country"s heels.

Increasing the number of brave American soldiers in Afghanistan is a political decision, not a military one. I can only hope that our leaders have the courage to clearly look at the strategic objectives involved and make the right decision. Continuing wars on Muslim ground, for people who don"t want us there, and backing yet another in a long list of corrupt governments is not the change we need.

"Been there. Done that." Won"t work.

I realize that this is not your dad"s Veterans Day column, full of patriotic highlights. It"s just that I have too much respect for our soldiers and too little respect for the direction we are headed as a nation to remain silent and passive.

I encourage all of you to attend a Veterans Day ceremony close to you so that our friends in the press report record turnouts and a genuine return to national patriotic ideals and observance.

• COLONEL DAVE SHAVER is a retired U.S. Army officer and former tenured faculty member of the U.S. Army War College, where he held the General MacArthur Academic Chair of Research. He may be contacted by e-mail at dshaver630@aol.com.