The applause was repeated again and again as the band played the songs for the Air Force, Army and Marine Corps.

Those who stood were just some of the many military veterans in the area, all of whom were honored as the Fort Dodge community marked Veterans Day on Friday.

“It is our responsibility to remember their selfless deeds,” said Tom Dorsey, who is the adjutant of American Legion Post 130 in Fort Dodge.

Dorsey said there are about 19 million American veterans. He said that when their military service was over, many of those veterans put on a different kind of uniform and continued serving their country and community as police officers,, firefighters and emergency medical personnel. The rosters of local law enforcement agencies, fire departments and rescue squads include the names of many veterans.

- Messenger photo by Bill Shea
A man contemplates a work of art by Mary Muller in the Blanden Memorial Art Museum. - Messenger photo by Bill Shea The St. Edmond High School band plays the songs of the various branchs of the U.S. military during Friday's Veterans Day observance.

As Dorsey called on the audience of some 130 people to remember and honor veterans, St. Edmond student Maya Neverman explained why Friday was an especially important day to do so.

She said that on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice went into effect, ending World War I.

From then on, Nov. 11 became a holiday first called Armistice Day and later Veterans Day.

In 1918, World War I was considered to be the war to end all wars. That obviously did not happen, and American troops would fight in World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, Panama, Grenada, Operation Desert Storm, Afghanistan and Iraq. Even when there was no fighting, the vigilance of American troops kept the peace.

“For many of them, this nation was worth enduring long separations from their families, missing the births of their children, freezing in sub-zero temperatures, sweating in the Sahara, sacrificing their health and far too often, losing their lives,” Dorsey said.

- Messenger photo by Bill Shea
A man contemplates a work of art by Mary Muller in the Blanden Memorial Art Museum. - Messenger photo by Bill Shea The St. Edmond Catholic School Chamber Choir sings "America the Beautiful' during Friday's Veterans Day observance.

He noted that the suicide rate among veterans is 50 percent higher than that of non-veterans.

“The stigma of seeking help needs to end,” he said.“If we are going to stop suicide , it is crucial that we look at this issue much different than prior generations. If we wait for someone to make an attempt before we reach out, there is a very good chance that it will be too late.”

Dorsey said that veterans make up about 7 percent of the nation’s homeless population.

“The best way to prevent a veteran from becoming homeless is to hire one,” he said. “It’s not only good policy, but it’s smart business for an employer who values skill, discipline and patriotism.”

To conclude the ceremony, the group went outside into the cold wind to watch the school’s flag raised to the top of the pole. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1856 rifle squad fired a salute and Taps was played.

- Messenger photo by Bill Shea
A man contemplates a work of art by Mary Muller in the Blanden Memorial Art Museum. - Messenger photo by Bill Shea The color guard of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1856 places the American flag to begin the Veterans Day ceremony held Friday at St. Edmond Catholic School.

- Messenger photo by Bill Shea
A man contemplates a work of art by Mary Muller in the Blanden Memorial Art Museum. - Messenger photo by Bill Shea The rifle squad from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1856 fire a salute at the end of the Veterans Day ceremony hold Friday at St. Edmond Catholic School.

- Messenger photo by Bill Shea
A man contemplates a work of art by Mary Muller in the Blanden Memorial Art Museum. - Messenger photo by Bill Shea Patrick Hickey, commandant of the Mid Iowa Detachment of the Marine Corps League, prepares to raise the American flag Friday morning at the conclusion of the Veterans Day ceremony held at St. Edmond Catholic School.