Veterans Day

We should always be grateful for the men and women who signed up to put themselves in harm’s way in defense of our nation. We don’t always express our gratitude and sometimes, some of us may simply take our security for granted, but there is a price for our freedom and our veterans paid it. 

Please take the opportunity of the occasion of Veterans Day to make a call, send a note or email to the veterans you know and tell them you appreciate their service to our nation. And, if you see someone in uniform today, it’s OK to say to them, “thank you for your service.”

 

Understanding the Holiday 

Many people confuse Veterans Day with Memorial Day. Both holidays honor military service. Memorial Day used to be known as Decoration Day and it was first established as a day to honor Union veterans of the Civil War. The day was (and still is) marked by visits to cemeteries and placing flowers or other adornments at the graves of veterans.

Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day and it marked the end of WWI, honoring the veterans of that war. In 1954, President Eisenhower signed a bill to expand Armistice Day to include the honoring of all veterans. Later that year, Congress changed the name to Veterans Day. Ever since, it’s been dedicated as a day to honor all veterans of United States military service.

• Thank a veteran today.
• Support the veterans of Iraq and Afganistan
• Support the Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota
• Have job openings? Hire a veteran.