This Wednesday, November 11, is Veterans Day.
Most of us know it as a day for flags, parades and free pancakes for anyone who served. But the date itself has a story, and it starts with a very specific moment in time.
The holiday traces back to World War I. Fighting stopped at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the armistice with Germany took effect. One year later, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day, and Congress made it a national holiday in 1938.
After World War II and Korea, a Navy veteran from Birmingham, Alabama, named Raymond Weeks argued the day should honor every veteran, not just those from World War I. He started holding his own celebration in 1947, and in 1954 President Eisenhower signed the change. Armistice Day became Veterans Day.
A few numbers worth knowing:
- About 15.7 million veterans live in the U.S., roughly 1 in every 17 adults.
- About 1.7 million of them are women.
- Vietnam-era veterans are the largest group, at about 31%. World War II veterans are now less than half of one percent.
- Arizona is home to roughly 455,000 veterans.
- And right here at home, Carefree ranks third in Arizona for its share of veterans: about 155 out of every 1,000 adults.
One more local connection: Luke Air Force Base is named for Frank Luke Jr., a Phoenix native and World War I fighter pilot nicknamed the "Arizona Balloon Buster," who received the Medal of Honor.
So this week, if you see a veteran at the grocery store, on the trail or in our waiting room, take a moment to say thank you. In Carefree, you won't have to look very far.
To every veteran reading this: Thank You!
Have a great afternoon,
Joy, Jen, Kim, Kathy, Coloradas, Maxfield, Dr Shriner and Dr Ring
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