Veterans Day, the annual observance honoring Americans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, is Thursday, November 11. The Postal Service employs more than 145,000 veterans, about 24 percent of the workforce and more than any other employer in the nation. Many employees have been called to active duty, often serving six or more months.
Veterans Day gives Americans the opportunity to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of all U.S. veterans. However, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, many Americans confuse this holiday with Memorial Day. Some Americans don't know why we commemorate veterans on November 11 so here’s the history so that we can properly honor our former service members:
Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.
In 1954, after having been through World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress --- at the urging of the veterans service organizations --- amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Under this bill, Veterans Day was moved to the last Monday of October. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed, with much confusion, on October 25, 1971.
Finally, on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law, which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on November 11.
Memorial Day honors service members who died in service to their country or because of injuries incurred during battle. Deceased veterans also are remembered on Veterans Day, but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military --- in wartime or peacetime.
No comments:
Post a Comment