Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Every year on November 11, Americans come together on Veterans Day to commemorate and give thanks to the brave men and women who have served our country in uniform and recognize those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedom.
Armistice Day began in 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as a day to celebrate the anniversary of the end of World War I, which was dubbed, “The War to End All Wars.” Several years later in 1954, Armistice Day became what we now call Veterans Day after President Dwight D. Eisenhower announced the change, “in order that a grateful nation might pay homage to the veterans of all its wars who have contributed to the preservation of this Nation.”
Since then, we celebrate Veterans Day every year as a time to honor all the brave men and women who have served in the Armed Forces.
The commitment to serve our country has deep roots in our Hoosier heritage, with nearly 500,000 veterans living in our state. Each year, lawmakers look for ways to continue our support for these brave men and women whether it be through financial, tuition, healthcare or counseling assistance.
Since our founding, generations of Americans have reaffirmed their dedication and loyalty to our country by serving in our military. Americans have fought and died to defend our liberty and promote our ideals of democracy. In peace time, we have labored to protect the rights preserved for us in our constitution and to ensure that every American enjoys the full protection of those rights. And throughout our history we have worked to build upon “the more perfect union” envisioned by our country’s founders.
May we never take our freedom – and their sacrifices – for granted. When you see a veteran, please take time to thank them for their service.
