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Veteran's Day

Veteran's Day!

Celebrated official in the U.S. on November 11th every year. A quick timeline of this holiday:

11 November 1918: An armistice between the Allied Nations and Germany went into effect at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. The official end of the "Great War" came with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 Jun 1919.

November 1919: President Woodrow Wilson proclaims 11 November as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.

4 June 1926: Congress passes a Concurrent Resolution inviting the people of the United States to celebrate 11 November as a holiday commemorating Armistice Day.

13 May 1938: By Act of Congress, Armistice Day becomes an official national holiday. As a day dedicated to the cause of world peace, it was primarily set aside to honor the Veterans of World War One.

1 June 1954: Congress amends the Act of 1938 to change the word ‘Armistice’ to ‘Veterans.’ Thus, 11 November became a day to honor all American Veterans of all wars.

28 June 1968: Congress passes the Uniform Holiday Law designed to ensure three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day.  Not all states agreed with this law, preferring to keep the original date.

25 October 1971: The first Veterans Day under the new Uniform Holiday Law was observed on this date. With many states honoring the original date, a great deal of confusion resulted.

20 September 1975: President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 returning the annual observance of Veteran’s Day to 11 November, a date supported overwhelmingly by State legislatures and the American people.

Fifty years later, the celebration of Veteran’s Day remains on 11 November.

It is readily apparent to any student of history and the human condition, that war continues to exercise a commanding influence on mankind. Perhaps one day people will recognize the true meaning of Veteran's Day and overcome their baser desires.

Thank you for your service!