Every Nov. 11 the United States takes the day to commemorate Veterans Day. 

The day originates all the way back to World War I when an armistice ended the war at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918. A year later, President Woodrow Wilson designated Nov. 11 as Armistice Day to honor the veterans who fought during WWI. According to a letter by the Texas Veterans Commission, “After WWII and the Korean War, at the urging of veterans service organizations, Congress amended the commemoration by changing the word ‘armistice’ to ‘veterans’. The legislation was signed by President Dwight E. Eisenhower on June 1, 1954, changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day to honor all American veterans.”

This day marks a time when all of the U.S. can honor all the men and women who served our country. Many cities and towns across the U.S. have parades and breakfasts to commemorate.

In Texas, there are more than 1.7 million veterans, and according to the Texas Veterans Commission, “A veteran, whether discharged, retired, active duty or reserve, is a man or woman who committed themselves carte blanche to the United States of America for an amount up to and including life. They may have served at home or abroad in a variety of ways from motor pools to medical facilities, combat to supply chain.”

We take this day to say thank you to all who served and are still serving our state and our country.