Every November, people throughout the United States gather to remember and celebrate the brave soldiers and women who sacrificed their lives to safeguard the freedoms that U.S. residents continue to enjoy. Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11 and is a day to pay honor to every American veteran – both deceased and living- especially for the veterans living today who performed their duties with distinction during wartime or peacetime, as per History.com.
Veterans Day was initially known as Armistice Day, which was created to mark the end of World War I. In 1954 the year 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower officially changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day in an effort to honor all veterans.
This name change is only one of the many fascinating facts concerning Veterans Day.
*Nov. 11, 1918 was widely believed to be the date of “war for the end of all wars” despite the fact that there was Treaty of Versailles, which officially ended World War I, was made seven months after on June 28, 1919.
Although Veterans Day is an American holiday, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and France also pay tribute to the veterans who fought in World War I and World War II around November. 11. Canada observes Remembrance Day, while Britain observes Remembrance Sunday each year on the second Sunday in November.
*The Department of Veterans Affairs says there will be 19 million U.S. veterans as of 2021.
*Arlington National cemetery, outside of Washington, D.C., has an annual memorial service during both Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The cemetery houses the graves of over 400,000 people who have served in the military.
*Gulf War-era veterans currently represent the highest percentage in overall U.S. veterans, surpassing the Vietnam War veterans by more than 2 million in the estimation of the VA.
Memorial Day is a day to commemorate those who have died in battle or suffered injuries that they sustained in combat. It is also a time to remember veterans. Veterans Day honors all of those who served their country, the deceased, and living veterans.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that women constitute around 10% of the veteran population. In 2025, the figure will increase to 12 percent.
*In 2016 the year of 2016, President Barack Obama signed the Veterans Day Moment of Silence Act. It was passed at 3:11 p.m. (Atlantic Standard Time) on Veterans Day; a moment of silence is observed and lasts for 120 seconds.
* The final living American WWI veteran died in the year 2011. Their name was Frank Buckles.
* In 2021, 37 percent of veterans were 70 or older, According to Pew Research. A further 36 percent of veterans were aged between 50 to 69.
The U.S. Census Bureau indicates that the percentage of American people with military experience is declining. In 2018, around 7 percent of U.S. adults were veterans, which was down from 18 percent in 1980.
