Following a resolution passed by City Council, Ypsilanti will now observe Veterans Day as an official holiday.
At their Dec. 9, 2025, meeting, council members decided to recognize Veterans Day, a Nov. 11 holiday meant to honor United States service members, in Ypsilanti.
"I saw a list of all the holidays that we had, and I said, 'Where's Veterans Day?' and it wasn't on there," McLean said in an interview with The Eastern Echo. "I was shocked."
Most city employees will have the day off for Veterans Day now, the resolution said.
"Thanks for your service, and sorry that it's taken this long to recognize that here in Ypsilanti," McLean said to The Echo, as a message to service members in the community.
Council Member Desirae Simmons voted against the resolution after her amendment to remove language that she described as shame based failed to pass. Council Member Amber Fellows was not present for the vote.
"More than 41 million Americans have honorably served their country in the US Army, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Navy and are therefore defined as Veterans, including approximately 16 million alive today," read the resolution. "More than 1.3 million of them have died in this service, with millions of others suffering grievous injuries to both mind and body."
The resolution honored Lt. Col. Charles Kettles by name, an Ypsilanti resident who received the Medal of Honor. Born in 1930, Kettles studied engineering at Eastern Michigan University when it was called Michigan State Normal College, before he was drafted, said the U.S. Army website. He was deployed for active duty in Korea, Japan and Thailand. He later served as a pilot in the Vietnam War, working as a flight commander in the helicopter unit. He received the Medal of Honor from former President Barack Obama in 2016.
"His story is astounding," McLean said to The Echo. "He was a helicopter commander in Vietnam, and was credited with saving something like 44 lives. He flew into a heavy war zone and managed to come out alive and save many of his fellow soldiers."
Resolution discussion
Council Member Roland Tooson supported the resolution.
“I just want to say thank you to all the veterans for their service,” Tooson said.
Simmons, who said she has veteran family members, raised concerns about the limitations of a holiday as a way to honor veterans. She said the best way to honor those who have served is to remove conditions of poverty and inequality. Simmons said she had concerns about some of the language in the resolution, including language about the unpopularity of some wars resulting in service members being denigrated. She described this as shame based language. Her proposed amendment to remove that section did not pass.
Fellows explained their position on the resolution.
"I reject U.S. imperialism entirely and especially now in 2025, [it's] very disturbing to see what the U.S. empire is doing across the world in the Middle East and Venezuela right now," Fellows said, adding that they support this recognition of veterans because service members are not necessarily the architects of wars, as Fellows described it.
"Veterans are people that generally are coerced as young and escaping poverty," Fellows said, mentioning their father as someone who joined the military to escape poverty. "I do support veterans; I think we need more support for veterans. I also support city staff having more days off."
Mayor Brown voiced her support for the resolution.
"I think many of us at some point have a touch point with veterans, maybe in our own personal lives," Brown said. "My father was also in the military, so it is complicated, it is complex."
"I do support the spirit of this; I do support our community saying that we want to, as Ypsilanti, honor Veterans Day and veterans," Brown added.
Including Veterans Day as a holiday marks 14 official holidays recognized by the city of Ypsilanti, Andrew Hellenga, the Ypsilanti city manager said.
