Veterans is the day we, as a Nation, pay our respects to the people that served. We are here to celebrate American’s veterans for their honor, patriotism, sacrifice, and love for our country. The day to celebrate Veterans Day always falls on November 11th, regardless of the day of the week.
This date represents a federal holiday, a bank holiday, and in most states, a state holiday. This means, federal employers (and most state workers) are usually given the day off. Since it is a federal holiday, post offices are closed and so are most banks and some local schools and government offices.
Here are some interesting facts you may not know about Veterans Day:
Veteran’s Day or Veterans’ Day? It is actually spelled without the apostrophe. The reason is that Veterans Day is not made with the idea that the day belongs to veterans, but rather to celebrate and honor all veterans.
Veterans Day was celebrated the fourth Monday of October between 1971 and 1977. During this time, it was set that specific holidays (including Veterans Day) will be celebrated on Monday with the idea of giving a long 3-day weekend. However, many states did not approve of this, especially with Veterans Day, as the date of November 11th had a meaningful historical meaning.
This day started under the name “Armistice Day” as a celebration of the heroism of those who perished serving our country and in commemoration of the signing of the Armistice when hostilities ceased on November 11th at 11 A.M, 1918 (11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month). In 1954, the name was changed to Veterans Day to include and pay our respects to all the veterans in all wars.
If you’re interested in learning more about the history of this important day, here is a short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymCa1eB_qLA
Participate in the National Two-Minutes of Silence. On Veterans Day, “the moment of silence” calls on all Americans to see two minutes of silence, which begins at 3:11 pm Atlantic standard time, to honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans. The different time zones are as follow: Eastern Standard Time; 2:11 p.m. Central Standard Time; 1:11 Mountain Standard Time; 12:11 Pacific Standard Time; 11:11 a.m. Alaska Standard Time; 10:11 a.m.; Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time 9:11 a.m.
When Veterans Day passes here are a few ways to celebrate our Veterans in a meaningful and grateful way?
Adopt a military member or family for the holidays. For instance, you could participate in https://soldiersangels.org/programs/family-support/adopt-a-family/ to sponsor a family for the festive.
Donate to a veteran’s charity or service organization; this could be a very fulfilling way to thank our veterans.
Visit a veteran memorial
Visit a VA hospital
Wear Pro-Veteran Items
Volunteer at any number of organizations that help our Veteran Community.
It is important to remember that veterans contribute to our nation in several ways and not just during their active duty. Veterans have protected our values and our liberty for years, but that does not mean that once the uniform comes off their contribution ends. With their experiences and skills, veterans continue enrich our society in many ways once they join civilian life. They are our nation/communities’ leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs, and role models. Veterans are the most active volunteers of any group. They are always working to make our communities better and for this we thank you!
