Let Us Remember Our Veterans 11/11/13, Veterans Day Veterans Day Frequently Asked Questions taken from The United States Department of Veterans Affairs Website: va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetday_faq.asp Q. Which is the correct spelling of Veterans Day? a. Veterans Day b. Veterans Day c. Veterans Day A. Veterans Day (choice a, above). Veterans Day does not include an apostrophe but does include an s at the end of veterans because it is not a day that belongs to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans. Q. On what day of the week will Veterans Day be observed? A. Veterans Day is always observed officially on November 11, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls. The Veterans Day National Ceremony, like most ceremonies around the nation, is held on Veterans Day itself. However, when Veterans Day falls on a weekday, many communities choose to hold Veterans Day parades or other celebrations on the weekend before or after November 11 so that more people can participate. Q. Why do some schools close and others remain in session on Veterans Day? A. Because there is no legal requirement that schools close on Veterans Day, individual states or school districts are free to establish their own policies on school closings. Most schools that do not close for Veterans Day schedule assemblies or other activities to honor Americas veterans on Veterans Day and throughout the week that includes Veterans Day. Q. What is the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day? A. Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. While those who died are also remembered, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL those who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank LIVING veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served - not only those who died - have sacrificed and done their duty. Q. Why are red poppies worn on Veterans Day, and where can I obtain them? A. The wearing of poppies in honor of Americas war dead is traditionally done on Memorial Day, not Veterans Day. The practice of wearing of poppies takes its origin from the poem In Flanders Fields, written in 1915 by John McCrae. For information on how to obtain poppies for use on Memorial Day, contact a veterans service organization, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) or The American Legion, as a number of veterans organizations distribute poppies annually on Memorial Day. You can find veterans groups in the Veterans Service Organization link on VAs Veterans Day web page. Veterans groups in your area can be found in your local phone book. Look in the yellow pages under Veterans and Military Organizations or a similar heading. Q. Is Veterans Day celebrated in other countries? A. Yes, a number of countries honor their veterans each year on November 11, although the name and types of commemorations differ somewhat from Veterans Day celebrations in the United States. For example, Canada and Australia observe Remembrance Day on November 11, and Great Britain observes Remembrance Day on the Sunday nearest to November 11. There are similarities and differences between these countries Remembrance Day and Americas Veterans Day. Canadas observance is actually quite similar to the U.S. celebration, in that the day is intended to honor all who served in Canadas Armed Forces. However, unlike in the U.S., many Canadians wear red poppy flowers on November 11 in honor of their war dead. In Australia, Remembrance Day is very much like Americas Memorial Day, a day to honor that nations war dead. In Great Britain, the day is commemorated by church services and parades of ex-service members in Whitehall, a wide ceremonial avenue leading from Londons Parliament Square to Trafalgar Square. Wreaths of poppies are left at the Cenotaph, a war memorial in Whitehall, which was built after the First World War. At the Cenotaph and elsewhere in the country, a two-minute silence is observed at 11 a.m., to honor those who lost their lives in wars.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 00:17:43 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015