The Paul Castronovo Show

The Paul Castronovo Show

Want to know more about The Paul Castronovo Show? Get his official bio, social pages & articles on South Florida's BIG 105.9!

 

In Case You Were Curious About Veterans Day

Photo: Getty Images

In case you were curious about Veterans Day, here's some info for you.

First - Veterans Day is the holiday that recognizes and honors all of the military veterans who have served our country.

Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day – a common misunderstanding, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Memorial Day (the fourth Monday in May) honors American service members who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle, while Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans – living or dead – but especially gives thanks to living veterans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.

Veterans Day is celebrated each year on November 11th, the anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended World War I.

President Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day in 1919

Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938.

President Eisenhower changed the name to Veterans Day in 1954.

There are over 20-million veterans living in the United States.

Britain, France, Australia and Canada also commemorate the veterans of World Wars I and II on or near November 11th: Canada has Remembrance Day, while Britain has Remembrance Sunday (the second Sunday of November). In Europe, Britain and the Commonwealth countries it is common to observe two minutes of silence at 11am every November 11th.

On this day, we honor all of those men and women for their patriotism, and their willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good of our country.

Who are these amazing people? The brave men and women who serve and protect the U.S. come from all walks of life; they are parents, children and grandparents. They are friends, neighbors and coworkers, and an important part of their communities. Here are some facts about the current veteran population of the United States(courtesy of U.S. Census Bureau and United States Department of Veterans Affairs).

  • 2-million veterans are over the age of 65.
  • 9-million veterans are under the age of 35.
  • 8-million veterans are women.
  • 8-million veterans served during the Vietnam War era (1964-1975), which represents 33% of all living veterans.
  • 2-million veterans served during the Gulf War (representing service from August 2, 1990, to present).
  • 6-million veterans served during World War II (1941-1945).
  • 8-million veterans served during the Korean War (1950-1953).
  • 6-million veterans served in peacetime.
  • As of 2008, 2.9-million veterans received compensation for service-connected disabilities.
  • At last check, five states have more than 1-million veterans in among their population: California (2.1-million), Florida (1.7-million), Texas (1.7-million), New York (1-million) and Pennsylvania (1-million).
  • The VA health care system had 54 hospitals in 1930, since then it has expanded to include 171 medical centers; more than 350 outpatient, community, and outreach clinics; 126 nursing home care units; and 35 live-in care facilities for injured or disabled vets.

And finally, here's a list of celebrities who have served in the military. The Paul Castronovo Show and BIG 105.9 would like to recognize and honor all of the military veterans who have served our country. Thank you for your service.


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content