Every year on November 11, Americans come together to honor and commemorate those men and women who have fought and died in the service of our country. This is a solemn day in which we recall the sacrifices made by past and present members of our military. It is important to mention that Veterans Day is different than Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a day to remember and venerate Americans who have fallen in war, while Veterans Day honors all Americans who have served in the armed forces.
As the largest military power in the world, thousands of American soldiers are currently stationed around the world and throughout the country. Most of us have or can recall relatives joining or serving the military in some capacity. Personally, my grandfather on my mother’s side fought with the Army and Air Force during the Korean War in the early 1950s and was later stationed in Germany for a portion of the Cold War. Regardless of any personal or familial connection, this holiday is important in illustrating the reality of war and the bravery of those who fight it.
The holiday has its origins in a proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on November 11, 1919: the one-year anniversary of the armistice which ended the fighting of the Great War (later referred to as the First World War) in Europe. Wilson’s proclamation called for a day of contemplation, an appreciation for those who had fought, and an appeal to a future of peace. Wilson’s decree began an informal practice, but November 11 did not become an official legal holiday until 1938 when Congress passed a law dedicating it as “Armistice Day.”
After the Second World War and the Korean War, the name “Veteran’s Day” was first applied. Wanting to extend recognition beyond just World War I veterans, Congress revised the original 1938 law to include American veterans of all wars. This modification was vital due to the large wave of new veterans who had served in the more recent wars of the time (WWII and Korea). November 11, 1954 was the first time in which the holiday was observed under the name we associate it with today.
Fourteen years later in 1968, a Federal law known as the Uniform Holiday Bill was created to guarantee a certain amount of three-day weekends for employees of the Federal government. To do this, the law planned to observe four national holidays on Monday throughout the year. Veterans Day was one of the holidays delegated to be on a Monday, specifically the fourth Monday of October. This law ultimately received backlash regarding Veterans Day and in 1975, President Gerald Ford signed a law restoring the observance of the holiday back to its historic date. The law took effect in 1978. Veterans Day this year will mark the 97th anniversary of Wilson’s proclamation and the 98th anniversary of the end of World War I.
On November 11, I urge you to spend just a few moments thinking about what Veterans Day means to you and on the sacrifices and commitment of the valiant men and women serving this country.
