Take time to thank a veteran
By Ohmygov!
Thanks in large part to our military men and women, we have freedom and opportunities that others in many countries don't have. Veterans Day gives us a chance to stop and recognize those who have served the U.S. throughout its history.
First proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson as Armistice Day, November 11, 1919, became a day to remember around the world. But it took another 19 years for this day to be proclaimed as an official day of observation in the U.S. Only in 1938 was a public law passed making the 11th of November each year a legal holiday: "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day."
Soon our country found itself in another World War, and Al King, an Emporia, Kansas store owner, had the idea to expand "Armistice Day" to celebrate all veterans, not just those who served in World War I. In a bold move, the Emporia Chamber of Commerce supported closing their shop doors on Nov. 11, 1953, to honor veterans. With the help of a U.S. Representative from Kansas, Ed Rees, a bill for the holiday was passed through Congress and signed it into law in 1954, changing "Armistice" to "Veterans," and it has been known as Veterans Day ever since.
In honor of military veterans, it is usually observed on November 11 as both a federal holiday and a state holiday nationwide. Feds still get a day off if it occurs on a Sunday, as the following Monday is designated for holiday leave. If it occurs Saturday, then either Saturday or Friday may be so designated.
In a time with two conflicts, in countries far away and directly involving less than one percent of the U.S. population, we can easily forget the reason for this day off from work. But veterans (current and past) have left their families behind to wait for their safe return, giving up the very freedoms they went to protect to keep us safe and free from harm. They fight to protect our way of life and are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. And for that, we remember them.
Today is also a time to remember and honor the 6,280 U.S. military members who have lost their lives fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
On Veterans Day, we are supposed to honor veterans who have served to protect the things we take for granted. So if you see or know a veteran, say, "Thank you. Thank you for all you've done."
For more information on Veterans Day, visit the Department of Veterans Affairs website. Or to share your thoughts and interact with veterans and their families, see the Department of Veterans Affairs official blog, to personalize the relationships with veterans to an Agency they often view as impersonal and unresponsive.
www.ohmygov.com
By Ohmygov!
Thanks in large part to our military men and women, we have freedom and opportunities that others in many countries don't have. Veterans Day gives us a chance to stop and recognize those who have served the U.S. throughout its history.
First proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson as Armistice Day, November 11, 1919, became a day to remember around the world. But it took another 19 years for this day to be proclaimed as an official day of observation in the U.S. Only in 1938 was a public law passed making the 11th of November each year a legal holiday: "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day."
Soon our country found itself in another World War, and Al King, an Emporia, Kansas store owner, had the idea to expand "Armistice Day" to celebrate all veterans, not just those who served in World War I. In a bold move, the Emporia Chamber of Commerce supported closing their shop doors on Nov. 11, 1953, to honor veterans. With the help of a U.S. Representative from Kansas, Ed Rees, a bill for the holiday was passed through Congress and signed it into law in 1954, changing "Armistice" to "Veterans," and it has been known as Veterans Day ever since.
In honor of military veterans, it is usually observed on November 11 as both a federal holiday and a state holiday nationwide. Feds still get a day off if it occurs on a Sunday, as the following Monday is designated for holiday leave. If it occurs Saturday, then either Saturday or Friday may be so designated.
In a time with two conflicts, in countries far away and directly involving less than one percent of the U.S. population, we can easily forget the reason for this day off from work. But veterans (current and past) have left their families behind to wait for their safe return, giving up the very freedoms they went to protect to keep us safe and free from harm. They fight to protect our way of life and are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. And for that, we remember them.
Today is also a time to remember and honor the 6,280 U.S. military members who have lost their lives fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
On Veterans Day, we are supposed to honor veterans who have served to protect the things we take for granted. So if you see or know a veteran, say, "Thank you. Thank you for all you've done."
For more information on Veterans Day, visit the Department of Veterans Affairs website. Or to share your thoughts and interact with veterans and their families, see the Department of Veterans Affairs official blog, to personalize the relationships with veterans to an Agency they often view as impersonal and unresponsive.
www.ohmygov.com
