Veterans Day takes place on Nov. 11 annually in the United States to honor the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” of 1918 that was the end of World War l. This was known as Armistice Day at the time. The name was changed in 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower from Armistice Day to Veterans Day. In 1968, The Uniform Holidays Bill was passed by Congress, which moved the celebration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. The law went into effect in 1971, but in 1975, President Gerald Ford returned Veterans Day to the original date of Nov. 11; this was due to the historical significance of the date. Every Veterans Day and Memorial Day, Arlington National Cemetery, located in Washington D.C., holds a memorial service. The cemetery is home to the graves of over 400,000 people, most of whom have served in the military. 

Veterans Today

• 18.2 million living veterans served during at least one war as of 2018
• 9% of women are veterans
• Of the 16 million Americans who served during World War ll, about 325,000 are still alive as of 2020
• 3 million veterans have served in support of the War on Terrorism
• As of 2019, the top three states with the highest percentage of Veterans were Wyoming, Alaska and Virginia

             Veterans Day commemorates all of those who have served in the country during war or peacetime, dead or alive. The holiday is a day to remember to thank a family member, friend or even a stranger for their service to our country. I, myself, would like to thank my grandpa, Frank Sendag, for his service in The United States Air Force. 

             The Neuqua Veteran’s Assembly will be available for viewing at 8:00 am or 11:30 am through NEUQUA STUDENT – NV Student Splash or neuquamedia. Three Neuqua graduates will share their stories: Krystel Muddamalle (‘09) – Air Force, Jon Rhattigan (‘17) – West Point and Erin Roberts (‘18) – Merchant Marine Academy.