What is Veterans Day?
Veterans Day honours all who have served in the United States armed forces, living or dead, and is particularly an occasion to thank living veterans. It is distinct from Memorial Day, which honours those who died in service. The main national ceremony takes place at Arlington National Cemetery, at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, at 11 a.m., and parades and local ceremonies are held in many towns. The date, 11 November, is the anniversary of the armistice that ended the fighting of the First World War in 1918.
Many restaurants and retailers offer free meals or discounts to veterans and serving military personnel, and schools often hold assemblies with veteran visitors. The same date is marked in other countries: in the United Kingdom, Canada and other Commonwealth countries it is Remembrance Day, observed with poppies and a two-minute silence, while France and Belgium keep 11 November as Armistice Day with a public holiday.
Why it is observed
The day began as Armistice Day. President Woodrow Wilson issued the first Armistice Day message in 1919, and an act of Congress in 1938 made 11 November a legal holiday. After the Second World War and the Korean War, a campaign by Raymond Weeks, a veteran in Birmingham, Alabama, and a bill introduced by Representative Edward Rees of Kansas led to legislation in 1954, which renamed the day Veterans Day to honour veterans of all wars. Under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act it was moved to the fourth Monday of October from 1971 to 1977, which caused confusion, and in 1978 it returned to 11 November.
How the date is set
Veterans Day in the United States is fixed on 11 November. When it falls on a Saturday, federal employees take the preceding Friday off, and when it falls on a Sunday, the following Monday.
How it is observed
Veterans Day is a federal holiday. Federal offices, banks, the post office and many schools close, but the stock markets are open and many private businesses and shops operate as usual. State practice varies, and some state offices close while others do not. In 2027 it falls on a Thursday. Pay and time off depend on the employer, the state and the contract. Many museums and attractions offer free or discounted entry to veterans.
Sources
United States