Practical ways to celebrate Veterans Day
Every year on November 11th, Veterans Day is recognized in the United States, honoring the men and women who have served in the armed forces. The holiday was originally celebrated at the “11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month” as Armistice Day – the day World War I ended. The 2022 theme for Veterans Day is “Honor”. From the Department of Veteran Affairs:
“Veterans are proud of their military service in defending our Nation. Honor reflects the military value and tradition of answering the call to duty. There is distinct honor in serving to protect our way of life and the Constitution of the United States of America. We encourage artists to consider Veteran history of service to our Nation and the honor we owe them for fulfilling patriotic duties.”
The Veterans Day National Committee selects a commemorative poster every year from submissions they receive from around the country. Not only is this poster shared with VA centers and military bases, but it is also used as the program cover for the official observance at Arlington National Cemetery. You can download a copy of this year’s poster here.
Besides sharing this artwork, here are 3 more practical ways to observe Veterans Day.
Send a letter to a veteran through A Million Thanks
A Million Thanks collects and sends thank you letters and notes of support to active, reserve, and veteran military. To date, over 11 million letters have been sent! You can either mail yours to the Million Thanks intake facility or find a local drop-off location near you. In addition to encouraging our military, the organization provides scholarships for higher education to children of service members.
P.S. Be inspired by this playlist of veterans seeing their wishes granted!
Wear a red poppy
Did you know that the red poppy is a symbol of support for veterans and active-duty service members? You can find these at your local American Legion chapter and all donations support disabled and hospitalized veterans. Made of red crepe paper, each “flower” is handmade by a veteran as part of their therapy.
Commit to hiring qualified veterans
For companies, one of the most hands-on steps to support veterans is to include them in your candidate pool. Amongst other qualities, veterans bring a strong work ethic, proven leadership, and performance under pressure to the workplace. The US Department of Labor offers an abundance of resources, from a hiring toolkit to connections with regional employment coordinators.
As a job seeker, here are a few sites and groups to check out:
- VeteranJobs.net – search by industry, location, and/or employers
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord – assists service members and their families in the transition either back to duty or into the community
- US Military Veterans Network on LinkedIn – you are welcome to join this group if you have served in one of the US Military branches.
