Veterans Day

On the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month of the year 1918, the Armistice with Germany went into effect, formally ending World War I. Since then, that day was celebrated as Armistice Day. In 1954, it was changed to Veterans Day.

Veterans Day here in the United States is a day we honor those who served their nation. It's a federal holiday here, so if it falls on a weekday, it means kids have off from school, and non-essential federal government offices are closed (required workers do get holiday pay).

For me, Veterans Day is a bit special. My father and late grandfather served in the military. My grandfather was in WWII. For me, on this day...I think about them, especially my grandfather. I also think about my great-uncle. He served on a sub and died in WWII. My dad told me about him, and today I wonder about what his life would have been like had he lived. What would he have done? What would his children and grandchildren have been like? What stories could he have told?

Veterans Day is a day in which we do something that I think we should do every day: Honor those who served. Honor them and tell their service is appreciated. So to any veterans reading this, I say thank you. Thank you for your service, and I hope you have a great day.