Veterans Day-11-11-2014 should be a day that you set aside to honor those individuals who risked their lives for our country, while serving in the United States Armed Forces. May we all remember to thank those men and women this holiday and show them the respect they deserve.  These military heroes have given us our freedom and liberties that we hold so dearly.  My husband served in Saudi Arabia during “Desert Storm.” My father served in Vietnam during the “Vietnam War” and was wounded by stepping on a booby trap. All Veterans should be remembered and honored during this holiday set aside for those that served during a war time situation. These men have taken time away from family, missed the birth of their children, missed graduations and birthdays and risk their lives so that we could continue to have a country we love. All of our military should be honored and appreciated for upholding the constitution and the beliefs that made this country so great.

World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” – officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919.  However, an armistice between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. World War I was the war known as “the war to end all wars.”

On November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…” (VA.gov).

Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.