By Robbie Gould
Staff Writer
At approximately 5 a.m. on November 11, 1918, German and Allied representatives signed an armistice inside a railway carriage in northern France. The agreement would bring an end to the fighting on the Western Front of World War I.
For another six hours, soldiers continued fighting until the ceasefire took effect at 11 a.m. Some were killed or wounded in the war’s final hours.
“We cannot comprehend the stillness,” wrote American artilleryman Robert Casey. After more than four years of war, the silence was unfamiliar.
We still mark November 11, although not quite for the same reason Americans first did. What began as Armistice Day – remembering the end of fighting in World War I – eventually became Veterans Day. The focus widened from the end of one war to the people who have served in many wars.
What Is Veterans Day and Why Do We Celebrate It?
Veterans Day is a federal holiday honoring the millions of Americans who served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces, whether in wartime or in peace.
However, this day is not about one battle, one war or one generation. In terms of what they experienced, people who served during World War II may have little in common with Iraq or Afghanistan veterans.
Two people who served in the exact same conflict may tell very different stories, too. That is part of what Veterans Day recognizes.
The Origins of Veterans Day: From Armistice to Remembrance
The November 1918 armistice ended major hostilities on the Western Front. However, the armistice was an agreement to stop fighting, not a formal peace treaty. The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, formalized peace with Germany.
That distinction mattered in the beginning. Armistice Day was both a remembrance of a devastating war and an expression of hope that another such war might be avoided.
President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day observance in November 1919 on the armistice’s first anniversary. Americans were encouraged to hold parades and public meetings and to suspend business briefly at 11 a.m.
Congress supported the observance through a resolution in 1926. In 1938, November 11 became a legal federal holiday dedicated to world peace.
But within a generation, World War II gave the observance of Armistice Day a different purpose.
Why Armistice Day Became Veterans Day in 1954
By the early 1950s, the name “Armistice Day” no longer seemed broad enough. By then, Americans had fought in World War II and the Korean War.
Veterans’ organizations wanted a holiday that acknowledged them, too, rather than looking exclusively to the generation who served in World War I.
Congress made the change in 1954 by replacing one word in the 1938 law, changing “Armistice” to “Veterans.” President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the legislation on June 1 and issued the first Veterans Day proclamation that October.
The new name made room for other Americans whose military service had nothing to do with the Western Front of 1918, including the people who had never seen combat.
A federal law passed in 1968 moved several holidays to Mondays, including Veterans Day. The first observance under that change occurred in October 1971.
However, many Americans and veterans’ organizations objected to this legislation. November 11 was not an arbitrary date; it was the anniversary around which the holiday was built. President Gerald Ford signed a law in 1975 restoring the celebration of Veterans Day to November 11, which has remained on that day since 1978.
How Americans Observe Veterans Day
Veterans Day looks different from one community to another. There are parades, school programs, public ceremonies and small gatherings.
Some veterans welcome the attention. Others would rather spend the day with their families or go about it quietly. There is no single way to observe a day that honors so many different experiences.
One of our country’s most prominent observances takes place at Arlington National Cemetery. The 2026 National Veterans Day Ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. on November 11 at the Memorial Amphitheater, along with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
There is something a ceremony cannot fully show, though: the ways military service follows people home and affects the lives around them.
Dr. Kelly Jordan, a U.S. Army veteran and faculty member in the School of Security and Global Studies, sees something in common among people whose reasons for serving may be very different.
“Veterans come from all walks of life and serve for many different reasons, but what they share is a willingness to accept obligations and sacrifices on behalf of something larger than themselves,” Dr. Jordan says.
Those obligations can extend into family life. Relocations, time apart and disrupted careers are familiar realities for many military households.
Life after military service varies just as widely. Some veterans find it difficult to explain their military experience to civilian employers or classmates; others make the transition with relative ease.
Dr. Jordan believes recognizing that service calls for more than a familiar phrase of gratitude.
“Veterans Day is about more than simply thanking veterans for their service. It is about finding ways that are meaningful to each of us to honor their willingness to serve on our behalf, while acknowledging the hardships they and their families experienced because of that service.”
Life After the Uniform
Leaving the military can mean starting over in some respects, but it can also mean building on years of experience. Veterans pursue degrees, begin careers, start businesses, teach and raise families. Some find civilian work that draws directly on the skills developed during their military service.
Wildland firefighting is one example. Through Conservation Legacy’s Veterans Fire Corps, former servicemembers can gain training and field experience in wildfire mitigation and natural resource management.
Their crews reduce hazardous vegetation and work to protect public lands and surrounding communities. For veterans drawn to that work, the program can also open a path to civilian employment.
Of course, veterans should not be expected to spend the rest of their lives demonstrating service to others. What comes next belongs to them.
Colleges, employers and communities can help make those decisions easier to pursue. That might mean recognizing transferable skills, supporting military-affiliated students or simply listening rather than presuming to know what someone’s time in uniform was like.
Veterans Day vs. Memorial Day: What’s the Difference?
The two holidays of Veterans Day and Memorial Day are sometimes confused, understandably. Both recognize military service, but they serve different purposes according to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Veterans Day, observed in November, honors all who have served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces, living and deceased. There is a particular emphasis on living veterans.
Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May. It remembers military personnel who died while serving their country.
Veterans Day Frequently Asked Questions
Is Veterans Day a federal holiday? Yes. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s 2026 holiday calendar lists Wednesday, November 11, as Veterans Day. Federal offices generally close, although schools, state and local offices, and private businesses may follow different schedules.
Why doesn’t Veterans Day have an apostrophe? According to the VA, Veterans Day is meant to honor all veterans, not to suggest that it belongs to a particular veteran.
Is Veterans Day the same as Remembrance Day? No. Although both holidays originated to commemorate the 1918 armistice, other nations such as Canada and Australia observe Remembrance Day through different traditions.
How can students honor veterans? Students can attend a campus ceremony, volunteer with a veterans organization, or learn about a family member’s service if that person wants to talk about it. Supporting a military-connected classmate can matter, too. Listening is a good place to begin.
Why November 11 Still Matters
The first Americans to observe Armistice Day knew November 11 as the day the fighting stopped. They could remember the war that had just ended and hope there would never be another like it.
Dr. Jordan notes that the traditions of Veterans Day are worth carrying beyond the holiday itself. For instance, saying “thank you” to a veteran matters, and taking an interest in the person behind the uniform matters as well.
About the Author
Robbie Gould is a staff writer for the University, with experience creating compelling, audience-focused content across digital, editorial, video and multimedia platforms. He holds a B.A. in English Studies with a minor in Marketing from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, as well as an MFA in Film Production from the New York Film Academy.
Blending a passion for storytelling with a strong foundation in SEO, digital marketing and content strategy, Robbie enjoys finding clear, engaging ways to communicate complex ideas. His work spans higher education, technology, science, entertainment, and other subject areas. He is currently pursuing an MBA at Boston University.
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