Originally “Armistice Day,” meaning an agreement made by opposing sides in a war to stop fighting, Veterans Day began one year after the end of World War I, on November 11, 1919.

The day became an annual observance when Congress passed a resolution in 1926. By 1938, it became a national holiday, followed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s legislation in 1954 to change its name to Veterans Day.

The name changed to honor all those who served the country in war or peace. Since its beginning, the nation has celebrated its military veterans with observances, including a Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

According to the US Census Bureau, as of 2019, there were roughly 18.2 million veterans in America, of whom 1.6 million between 2015 and 2019 were female. One of whom I recently had the honor of connecting with.

Tara Nyikos, Ph.D., M.Ed. served in the United States Air Force, Honorably Discharged, 2003-2011. Nyikos had been stationed at Aviano Air Base in Italy, Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, DC, and Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. She was also deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, and Kandahar AirField in Afghanistan.

She was a Civil Engineering Craftsman in the US Air Force from 2003 to 2011. As an Engineering Craftsman, she supported Air Force facility construction and maintenance programs, creating civil engineering design, drafting, surveying, and contract inspection and surveillance.

Other responsibilities included the preparation of manuals and Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawings, Building Information Modeling (BIM) solutions, construction contract specifications, and cost estimates.

Operating and maintaining Geographic Information Systems (GIS), utilizing surveying technology to include Global Positioning System (GPS), evaluating potential construction sites, and performing field tests on soils, asphalt, and concrete were also part of her duties.

Today, Nyikos holds a volunteer position as the sitting Commander of the Black Hawk VFW Post 7563. She also serves as Captain of the Colorado Chapter for Patrol Base Abbate, a nonprofit that offers monthly outings across the Denver/Colorado Springs areas, as well as Colorado Warrior Weekends and retreats in Montana. Nyikos shares that these are “amazing resources for our local veteran community.”

When asked to share her military experience, Nyikos proudly answered, “I enjoyed traveling the world and meeting new people. I now have friends all over the globe! Serving in the military allowed me to earn my college degrees at no cost, including master’s and doctorate degrees!”

“One interesting aspect of my service specifically was when I was joining the military in 2002, my uncle, a career Army soldier, advised me to join the Air Force to have a better quality of life, so I did. However, by the time 2007 rolled around, the Army needed people, so both of my combat deployments to Iraq (August 2007-August 2008) and Afghanistan (September 2009-April 2010) were with the Army!”

While in Afghanistan, Nyikos traveled to over 20 different Army Combat Outposts and Forward Operating Bases in six months. “I was one of the only females to get to do this sort of mission!”

Her advice to anyone in the military or considering joining is, “make the best of your time in service. Meet new people, explore new places, use your education benefits, and have a great time!”

She wishes to express that it was her “absolute honor to serve my country. I want to thank my family for all their support over the years.”

Thank you, Dr. Tara Nyikos. Your community honors you for your dedication and service.