The Typical American Doesn’t Know These Simple Facts About Veterans Day

Q. What Day Does Veterans Day Always Fall On?

With so many holidays in the United States, keeping track of the days each falls on can be challenging.

A. November 11th

Veterans Day was officially moved back to November 11th in 1978, where it has stayed.

Q. Why Do We Observe Veterans Day?

We know it has something to do with the military, but many people don’t know why we observe Veterans Day.

A. To Honor All Living Military Veterans.

Veterans Day is set aside to honor all living men and women who have served in our military.

Q. How Many Veterans Live in the United States?

The military comprises about 6.2% of the population ages 18 and up.

A. Roughly 16.2 Million

Census.gov states there’s around 16.2 Veterans in America, while other To put this number in perspective, according to Census.gov, roughly 258.3 million people in the United States are adults.

Q. What Was the Original Name of This Holiday?

Did you know that Veterans Day didn’t always have this name?

A. Armistice Day

The original name of Veterans Day was Armistice Day. On November 11th, 1918, the Armistice, or truce, went into effect between the Allied Forces and Germany. Therefore, using the name Armistice to observe this Day every year made sense.

Q. Are We the Only Country to Celebrate Veterans Day?

Veterans Day is well observed in the United States, but are we the only ones who observe it?

A. No. Other Countries Celebrate November 11th, Veterans Day, As Well.

These countries include France, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia.

Q. Was Veterans Day Always Celebrated on November 11th?

Since Armistice Day was on November 11th, it makes sense to ask if it has always been observed on this day.

A. No

For a time, Veterans Day used to be celebrated on the fourth Monday of October.

Q. What State Holds the Oldest Veterans Day Observance?

One of the common occurrences on Veterans Day is the celebrations in honor of the men and women who have served in the military.

A. Mississippi

According to VA News, Leavenworth has been holding the large Veterans Day Observance since 1919, when the peace truce went into effect.

Q. What Time is the Veterans Day Moment of Silence?

In 2016, President Obama signed into effect The Veterans Day Moment of Silence Act.

A. 3:11 p.m. Atlantic-Standard Time

During this time, the President will call for everyone in the United States to take two minutes of silence to honor the Veterans of our country.

Q. How Many Living Americans Have Served in the Military?

The Military is quite large and made up of six branches: The Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Space Force, and Marine Corps.

A. Between 16 and 18 Million American Veterans

There are roughly between 16 and 18 million American veterans living today. Census.gov gives an estimate of 16.2 million while Pew Research states it’s closer to 18 million. Both stats were released in 2023. Either way, it comes to roughly 6% of the U.S. adult population.

Q. What is the Difference Between Veterans Day and Memorial Day?

The two holidays that are often confused with one another are Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Out of all the facts about Veterans Day this is the one that is the most commonly misunderstood.

A. Veterans Day Honors the Living Military Veterans.

Memorial Day honors the men and women who have died in service.

Q. When Was Veterans Day First Observed?

Since the Armistice was signed into effect in 1918, when was the very first Veterans Day observed?

A. 1938

While Armistice Day was observed immediately after the end of World War One, the day didn’t officially become a Federal Holiday until much later.

Q. What President Changed the Name Armistice Day to Veterans Day?

It was Armistice Day for a few decades before it officially became known as Veterans Day.

A. President Dwight D. Eisenhower

In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a petition for the name to be changed to Veterans Day. This was so that the Day would honor all Veterans, not just the ones who served in World War One.

Q. How Many Veterans Served During the “War on Terror?”

The “War on Terror” includes the Veterans who served between September 2001 and August 2021.

A. Between 1.9 and 3 Million Veterans

According to Watson Institute for International & Public Affairs, the number of veterans who served during this time is roughly between 1.9 and 3 million.

Q. How Many Veterans Served During the Gulf War Era?

The Gulf War Era includes the time between August 1990 to August 2001.

A. 7.8 Million Living Veterans

According to Pew Research, the number of living veterans who served during this time was around 7.8 million.

Q. How Many Veterans Served During the Vietnam War?

The Vietnam War was between the years of 1950 to 1973.

A. 5.6 Million Living Veterans

Around 30% of the Veterans community is made up of veterans from this era.

Q. How Many Living Veterans Served During World War II?

The World War II Era lasted from 1939 to 1945.

A. Around 120,000 Veterans Are Still Alive Today.

According to Pew Research, this number represents less than 1% of the Veteran population today.

Q. What States Have the Highest Percentage of Veterans?

With over 16.2 million vets in our country, it makes sense that they are spread throughout the U.S.A.

A. Alaska, Wyoming, and Virginia

According to U.S. News, in 2022, the states that had the highest percentage of vets were:

• Virginia: 9.20% of the Veteran Adult Population
• Wyoming: 9.43% of the Veteran Adult Population
• Alaska: 10.07% of the Veteran Adult Population

Q. How Many Female Veterans Are in the United States?

Women were allowed to start joining the military in June of 1948. This was when President Harry S. Truman signed the Women’s Armed Service Integration Act.

A. Approximately 1.7 Million

Roughly 10% of the veteran population are women. According to DOL.gov, in 2020 there were close to two million veterans who are women.

Q. Is Veterans Day a Federal Holiday?

There are several different holidays, including Federal, state, and cultural holidays. However, there are only 12 federal holidays.

A. Yes.

Veterans Day is one of those federal holidays. This basically means that government offices are closed on this day. Additionally, many businesses also choose to close on federal holidays.

Q. Why is Veterans Day Sometimes Misspelled?

This holiday is often misspelled, but why?

A. Many People Accidentally Add an Apostrophe.

Many people will confusingly add an apostrophe to the word Veterans. However, if you travel back to grammar class, you may remember that an apostrophe between the n and the s means that the day belongs to just one veteran. Therefore, the apostrophe is left out in order to honor all veterans.

One Last Note

You most likely have a veteran in your life. If you do, take some time out of your day today and thank them for their sacrifices. There are many ways you can honor a veteran, including attending a veteran event, volunteering, or even just saying thank you. How did you do on these facts about Veterans Day? (Read: The Average American Can’t Answer These Simple World War II Questions.)