Tomorrow, our country will celebrate Veterans Day. Veterans Day is always on November 11, and is the United States’ official holiday to honor the brave men and women who serve in our country’s armed forces.
Veterans Day, which used to be known as Armistice Day, was originally used to mark and celebrate the anniversary of the end of the First World War. World War I was officially ended on the 11th hour of the 11th in the 11th month of 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect.
Armistice Day evolved into our current holiday of Veterans Day in 1954. On this holiday all non-essential federal offices are closed and no mail is delivered.
And because Veterans Day is only one day apart from the birthday of the United States Marine Corps, November 10, 1775, that branch of the Armed Forces customarily observes both occasions as 96-hour liberty period.
Here in Stillwater, there will be a Veterans Day Recognition Ceremony on Nov. 11, 2014, beginning at noon at the Payne County Veteran’s Memorial on the east side of Boomer Lake.
The event will begin with a flyover by F 16 fighters from the Tulsa Air National Guard Unit and will have an address from Lt. Col. Steven R. Cherrington, Commander of Air Force ROTC Detachment 670 at Oklahoma State University.
Although November 11 is Veterans Day, the entire month of November is National Military Family Appreciation Month. It is a time designated to honor the families and the men and women who devote themselves to our country selflessly. I urge everyone to thank a veteran not just on this day but everyday for all of the service they have done to make America so great.