A big day for all veterans is Veterans Day. What is veteran’s day? Some people do not know (believe it or not). So here you go!

Veterans Day (once known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the U.S., observed annually on November 11th to honor military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. It coincides with Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which celebrates the ending of World War I. World War I formally came to an end on the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month of 1918 when Armistice with Germany finally went into effect. Armistice Day was renamed to Veterans Day in 1954. Veterans Day is a distinctly different holiday from Memorial Day, which is celebrated in May. Veterans Day celebrates the service of veterans, while Memorial Day honors those who had died and paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Here are eleven interesting facts about veterans. Beyond everything veterans do to keep our nation safe, they have sacrificed long periods of time away from family and friends. Please remember these facts for this upcoming holiday and share them with friends, family, and anyone who would appreciate this information.

1. Veterans are individuals who have served in the military (U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard) in war or peacetime.

2. As of 2019, 12,987 living veterans served all through World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

3. Veterans Day is observed on November 11th, the same day that World War I ended. Initially known as Armistice Day before being renamed as Veterans Day in 1954.

4. Veterans Day pays tribute to all veterans. Memorial Day pays homage to those who lost their lives in combat.

5. In 2017, there were about 1.9 million female veterans in the U.S.

6. In 2017, the largest living cohort of male veterans served during the Vietnam War era, while the largest living cohort of female veterans served during the post-9/11 period.

7. As of 2019, the states with the highest veteran populations are California (1.56 million), Texas (1.46 million), and Florida (1.44 million).

8. The overall unemployment rate for veterans who served post-9/11 was 3.5% (2018) — the lowest recorded rate since 2008.

9. As of 2019, 11.7 million veterans are over 65, which is about 61% of all veterans.

10. Veterans make up roughly 11% of adults experiencing homelessness.

11. 70% of veterans experiencing homelessness also experience substance abuse, and 50% live with mental illnesses like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

You are probably wondering why I am sharing these facts with you. Well, we are in the business of helping veterans in our local community. Staying informed and knowledgeable is the best way to help veterans. This information is the beginning step in making us think about what we can do to get out to help our fellow veterans this Veterans Day. What can we do as an organization? What can you do as an individual? It is just a thought that intimately will make us better as a community. Anyway, hopefully, this information was helpful. Some people may call this useless information, while others call it useful. I have another acronym for this type of information; UBI (Useful Bit of Information). Enjoy!

Image provided by John Heintzelman (April 2023).