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Recognizing Veterans Day
The U.S. Veteran Population
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were more than 16 million military veterans in 2022, representing 6.2% of the total U.S. adult population. Veterans Affairs (VA) projections show that the share of the U.S. population with military experience is declining and will continue to do so. In 2018, about 7% of U.S. adults were veterans, down from 18% in 1980, a Census Bureau survey shows. This drop mirrors decreases in active-duty personnel. Over the past 25 years, the number of people on active duty has dropped significantly, from 3.5 million in 1968 (before the draft ended in 1973), to about 1.4 million – or less than 1% of all U.S. adults – today. By 2046, the VA estimates that U.S. veterans will number around 12.5 million, a decrease of about 35% from current numbers.
Changing U.S. Veteran Demographics
The holiday is "Veterans Day," not "Veteran's or Veterans’ Day" on purpose. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), it is a holiday for recognizing all veterans – it doesn’t belong to veterans – and so there is no apostrophe. Veterans Day gives Americans the opportunity to recognize and honor the bravery and sacrifice of all U.S. veterans. However, many Americans confuse this holiday with Memorial Day, which honors service members who died in the line of duty or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Veterans Day recognizes all Americans who have served their country honorably, both living and deceased, during wartime and peacetime. Another national holiday, Armed Forces Day, celebrates America’s troops, especially those currently serving, and is held on the third Saturday
each May.
Veteran’s Day or
Veterans Day?
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What You Should Know About Veterans Day
Here’s what everyone should know about Veterans Day, celebrated every year on November 11.
The History of Veterans Day
The VA’s 2021 population model predicts that the demographic profile of U.S. veterans will change over the next 25 years. Currently, about 89% of veterans are men, while only 11% are women. By 2046, the share of female veterans is expected to increase to about 18% – from around 2 million in 2021 to approximately 2.2 million in 2046. The number of male veterans is expected to drop from about 17 million in 2021 to just 10.3 million in 2046. Projections also indicate that the veteran population will get younger, with 33% under 50 by 2046, compared with 27% in 2021. The U.S. Military continues to mirror U.S. racial diversity trends, which makes it one of the most racially diverse workplaces in the country. In 2022, according to the Census Bureau, 72.3% of veterans were white (not Hispanic or Latino), 12.4% African American, 8.6% Hispanic or Latino (of any race), 2.1% Asian American, 0.8% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.2% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and 2.8% other. Between 2021 and 2046, the Census Bureau expects the share of Hispanic veterans to double to 16%, and the percentage of Black veterans to increase to 15%.
Veterans Day continues to be observed on
November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. On this day each year, we celebrate and honor America's veterans for their patriotism, sacrifices and service for the country and all of us. Veterans Day is a federal holiday, a bank holiday and, in most states, a state holiday, which means federal employees, including military members, are given the day off and, in most states, state workers are off work as well. Currently, only five states – Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon and Tennessee – require private employers to give veterans time off on Veterans Day each year. All five states allow employers to choose whether to offer paid or unpaid time off.
World War I ended on Nov. 11, 1918, and the day became known as “Armistice Day.” In 1919,
President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of the day to honor veterans of “the war to end all wars.” U.S. Congress did not officially recognize the end of WWI until 1926, and did not make November 11 a national holiday until 12 years later. On Oct. 8, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation" to change the name of Armistice Day to Veterans Day to honor American veterans of all wars. By 1954, U.S. veterans had also served in World War II and the Korean War. In 1968, the Uniform Holiday Monday Act moved Veterans Day to the fourth Monday of October, but many states continued to celebrate the holiday on November 11. So, in 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law returning the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date. Beginning in 1978, the holiday was observed on November 11 once again.
Many Americans celebrate Veterans Day by attending local parades and observances. Of course, the biggest and best-known is the Veterans Day National Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. This observance is held each year at 11 a.m. on November 11 and is free and open to the public. During the event, guards lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and veterans groups hold a parade of colors. The 624-acre Arlington National Cemetery is home to the final resting place of more than 400,000 military service members and their families. In addition, almost every state and large city host Veterans Day celebrations and events. Visit www.military.com/veterans-day/events.html for a list of events near you.
Celebrating Veterans Day
Littler Celebrates Veterans Day - 2023 | Littler Mendelson P.C.
Other countries also mark the end of World War I on November 11. In Canada, Australia, France and Belgium, the day is called Remembrance Day. In the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries, Remembrance Sunday is observed on the second Sunday of November. This day commemorates British service members who have died in wars and other military conflicts since the beginning of WWI. At 11 a.m., it is traditional for the entire nation to observe two-minutes of silence. This tradition started in South Africa before the end of WWI to honor people who died in the war, and it is still observed by many around the world today.
Honoring Veterans Around the World
There are additional days, not yet nationally recognized holidays, that honor certain veterans. For example, Women Veterans Day is June 12, which marks the anniversary of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948, signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. This act allowed women to serve in all four branches of the U.S. military. On July 16, 1983, President Ronald Reagan designated a one-time commemoration called National Atomic Veterans Day. It honored “atomic veterans,” “military personnel who participated in nuclear tests between 1945 and 1962, served with United States military forces in or around Hiroshima and Nagasaki through mid-1946, or were held as prisoners of war in or near Hiroshima or Nagasaki,” according to the White House. In 2021, President Joe Biden brought back National Atomic Veterans Day, signing a law to designate an annual commemoration of atomic veterans’ service on July 16. There is a special day for four-legged veterans, too. March 13 is National K9 Veterans Day, which honors American military and working dogs.
Recognition Days for Special Veterans
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