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5 Facts About Veterans Day

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Veterans Day is one of the eleven federal holidays in the United States for federal organizations and is a public holiday for all 50 states. Unlike Memorial Day, which is the day for honoring those who passed away while serving in the military, Veterans Day is where the general public celebrates those who have served in the U.S. military, whether that be the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, National Guard, Air Force or the Coast Guard. Veterans Day is always celebrated in late October or early November and is a day full of parades, discounts and a valuable history lesson. Here are 5 interesting facts about Veterans Day.

How It All Began

We celebrate it every year, but how did Veterans Day come into existence? It dates back to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. While this day will always be known as the official end of World War I, also known as The Great War, it was on November 11, 1918, that the war truly came to an end when the armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities between German and the Allied Nations, went into effect. The following November in 1919, President Woodrow Wilson became known as the president who celebrated the first commemoration of Armistice Day. The name later changed following the Second World War and Korean War in November 1938 when it became the legal Federal Holiday we know and honor today, Veterans Day, which is dedicated to American veterans of all the wars.

Events

On this day, each state celebrates their veterans in their own unique way. The most common sight is a busy parade full of veterans, school bands, American flags and patriotic music. The largest of these takes place in New York, but the longest running Veterans Day is held in the south, specifically Birmingham, Alabama and has been ever since 1947. In D.C., Arlington National Cemetery has a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier while the famous Blue Angels take over the skies in Pensacola, Florida. Churches participate in prayer services while government buildings proudly display the red, white and blue flag. But let's not forget about the food on Veterans Day.

Discounts

On top of having great entertainment, veterans often receive fun discounts in local restaurants and shops. Often restaurants or local fast food joints give free breakfast on Veterans Day and drinks or treats to those who have a valid form of military ID. While some have a veteran organization membership card to show, others may offer discharge papers or even wear their uniform as their form of identification, which may be enough for some places. Not only do veterans receive discounts though, but the general public gets a few perks as well, one of them being free admission to any National Park in the United States.

Closed for The Day

Because it is a Federal Holiday, all non-essential government offices are closed for the day at the local and state level. Which businesses and schools are closed for the day though varies from state to state. Often banks are closed for Veterans Day, such as the big four, JPMorgan and Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citibank. Post offices, schools, libraries and markets also shut down, leaving National Parks as being a great option for your day off.

Why Celebrate

Veterans Day is much more than just parades, music and free food though. It is an opportunity to show our gratitude to the military men and women fought to keep our country safe and free. It is a period in which we can step back from rushing about of our daily life and teach our children about the history of our country, battles people have had to fight in and battles that many continue to fight.