Today is Veteran’s Day.\u00a0 And it’s a good time to reflect not only on service, but on how we as a nation have honored it.<\/p>\n
Until relatively recently we really didn’t do such a good job of doing that as a nation.\u00a0 Historically, we did a decent job of remembering and honoring those who died – but not so much those who served and lived.<\/p>\n
Veteran\u2019s Day is actually one of the youngest US holidays.\u00a0 And it’s purpose was not always what we celebrate today.<\/p>\n
In fact, what we today celebrate as Veteran\u2019s Day on 11 November was not originally even called Veteran\u2019s Day.\u00a0 It also was not originally a holiday to celebrate the service of all US military veterans.<\/p>\n
In its original incarnation, it was Armistice Day.\u00a0 Its original purpose was to commemorate the \u201cheroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory\u201d in World War I.<\/p>\n
The holiday\u2019s purpose, but not its name, was again changed in 1938 when Congress formally declared Armistice Day a Federal holiday.\u00a0 Now the purpose of the holiday was \u201ca day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace\u201d.\u00a0 The date remained fixed as 11 November.<\/p>\n
The current Veteran\u2019s Day owes its existence to one Raymond Weeks of Birmingham, Alabama.\u00a0 In 1945, Weeks \u2013 a World War II veteran \u2013 began a campaign to change the purpose of the holiday then called Armistice Day to a day honoring the service of all US military veterans.\u00a0 In 1954, Congress did so, and also changed the name of the holiday to \u201cVeteran\u2019s Day\u201d.\u00a0 The date of 11 November was retained.<\/p>\n
Weeks was honored by President Reagan in 1982 for being the driving force behind the creation of today\u2019s Veteran\u2019s Day.\u00a0 Reagan honored Weeks via presenting him the Presidential Citizenship Medal – the nation’s second-highest civilian decoration.<\/p>\n
Veteran\u2019s Day is one of the four US Federal holidays with a fixed date \u2013 11 November.\u00a0 (The other three are New Year\u2019s Day, the Fourth of July, and Christmas.\u00a0 The other Federal holidays have fixed calendar slots \u2013 e.g., Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November – but not fixed dates.)\u00a0 Veteran\u2019s Day is being observed this year on Monday solely due to the longstanding policy of observing a Federal holiday the preceding day (Friday) when a fixed-date holiday falls on a Saturday and the following day (Monday) when a fixed date holiday falls on a Sunday.<\/p>\n
Best Veteran\u2019s Day wishes to all of TAH\u2019s readers.\u00a0 And special thanks to all Veterans who have served honorably.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"