Yesterday was Veterans Day, but many of us are enjoying a day off work today in observance of the holiday. If you didn’t yesterday, be sure to thank the servicemen, servicewomen and veterans you know or meet for their service and dedication to our country.
Do you know why Veterans Day is celebrated on Nov. 11 each year? According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, World War I officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. However, seven months earlier, the Allied nations and Germany agreed to an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, that went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, or Nov. 11, 1918.
The holiday was first known as “Armistice Day” and was primarily a day for honoring veterans of World War I, but as the years went by, it was changed to honor all veterans and took on the name “Veterans Day.”
Check out other Veterans Day resources:
- A report called “American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans: Lasting Contributions”
- Indian Country Today Media Network’s veterans section
- Ideas to support our military and veterans
Travois’ Army veteran
Travois is especially proud and thankful for veterans and Travois staff member Eden Rensing.
Eden was a non-commissioned officer in the Army National Guard and served a total of eight years, including in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2005 to 2007. While in Iraq, she was a flight operations specialist and helped coordinate essential pre-flight and in-flight information for pilots and crew. She also tracked the progress of flights throughout their missions.
Thank you, Eden, all servicemen and servicewomen and veterans!