It seems that a lot of people get confused when it comes to Veterans Day. Part of the reason may be because it has changed over the years. The date has been changed as well as the name.
The original holiday was celebrated as a day of peace, and was known as Armistice Day, which marked the end of World War I. The date the war officially ended was November 11, which became the annual date of recognition.
In 1954, it was changed to Veterans Day to honor all war Veterans. American troops had bravely fought in two more wars, WWII and the Korean War, since the original holiday was declared, and it was important to make sure that every Veteran was honored and recognized.
In the 1960’s the date changed. A bill was issued to recognize national holidays on Mondays, so federal employees would have a long weekend. Veterans day was then moved to the fourth Monday of October. A lot of people refused to accept this change and continued honoring Veterans on the original date. Due to such confusion, President Ford decided in 1975 to return Veterans Day to its rightful place.
Since that time we have always recognized Veterans Day on November 11. However, people may once again become confused as to the actual date, because of the fact that when it falls on a weekend, the following Monday is considered the day of observance.
So, today is actually Veterans Day, even though you might get a day off Monday, or your kids might be off school that day, to honor it. I guess the date doesn’t matter as much as the intent. Please, either today or Monday, remember our heroes. People that have put their lives on the line in our places, deserve our respect and appreciation. Please, take a moment to honor them. Thank someone for his or her service. Make a donation to a Veterans’ organization. Or, just fly your flag proudly.
Happy Veterans Day, brave and faithful heroes.
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