Veterans know better than anyone else the price of freedom, for they’ve suffered the scars of war. We can offer them no better tribute than to protect what they have won for us.” – President Ronald Reagan
Interesting Veterans Day Facts Sourced from CNN
- It is celebrated annually on November 11, the anniversary of the end of WWI
- There are 19.5 million veterans in the United States according to the most recent statistics available.
- More than 9 million veterans are over the age of 65
- There are approximately 2 million veterans who are women.
- Veterans Day originally began as Armistice Day. President Woodrow Wilson signed the proclamation in 1919
- In 1968, Congress changed the date of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October to give federal employees a three-day weekend. The change began in 1971
- Then in 1975, President Gerald Ford changed the date of Veterans Day back to November 11. The change began in 1978.
Veterans Day is often confused with Memorial Day. Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday in May, honors those who have passed in active military service whereas Veterans Day honors those who have served and are still living.