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I would like to thank my uncle Ronald Archer Sr., for serving in the Marines for 20 years. He was honorably discharged,  and given a medal of Valor for saving another fellow marine' s life. To say he is my hero is an understatement.  He has went above and beyond for not only his country,  but his family and his fellow marines as well.  I would like to personally thank you uncle Ronald for being a brave and courageous warrior who inspired me to always do my best and never give up on anything.  I am thankful for the man you are. I will always be forever grateful to you for your services to our country! You have given our country your life, energy, time, and love. You are an honorable person that even a thank you doesn't seem enough , but just know everything you have done I as well as other American's appreciate all you have done,  and the sacrifices you have made for us. You are my heart, my hero, and please remember You Are Always Loved! You would say to me "I can't accept all this graditude without thanking my fellow servicemen and women. " So it is with much respect that I in all branches thank all Veterans this day for their sacrifices and dedication to protecting,  serving,  and assuring our country's freedom.  We owe you all everything this country has to offer! You all are greatly appreciated and greatly loved! God bless all of our Vets!
Sincerely,
Damon Barker

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This is me and my dad in Washington, DC.  His name is Marlo Lashley, Jr.  He was in the Marine Corps.  I want to thank you Dad for volunteering to protect our country.
Love You Dad with all my heart!
Gabrielle Garland

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Thank you for your service grandpa! We love you and appreciate your service and the sacrifices you've made.

Love,
Aisha Ali

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This is my dad, Brandon. He was in the Army before I was born. He is strong, brave and funny. Happy Veterans Day Daddy! Love, Bella Sanders

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Virtual Tour of US Veterans and War Memorials

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Virtual Tour of US Veterans and War Memorials

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Virtual Tour of United States Veterans and War Memorials - Google Arts & Culture

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Google Arts & Culture features content from over 2000 leading museums and archives who have partnered with the Google Cultural Institute to bring the world's treasures online.

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We are asking individuals, schools, churches, businesses, and other organizations to write letters and messages of appreciation and support for our military, past and present. It is our goal to see that our military - active, reserve, and veterans - receive these messages, whether they are serving at home, abroad, or are recovering in hospitals. To get started, read the guidelines on the 'How To Send' tab above. After completing your letter(s), mail them to the A Million Thanks National Mail Intake Facility OR bring them to the drop-off location in your town! If dropping off your letters, we recommend you contact the drop-off location first to ensure they are still accepting letters. Visit the 'Where To Send' tab above for more information.

Because we get thousands of letters each week, we appreciate you including a donation of any size with your letters or through our 'Donate' page or by including cash/check with your letters. A Million Thanks is only able to offer the program through the generous support of people like you! Your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law as we are an IRS approved 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with Tax ID# 26-0361789.

Due to privacy and security restrictions, we do not distribute names or addresses of service members to anyone for any reason. We ask that you address the letters generically. Some examples of this may be 'Dear Hero' or 'Dear Troops'. Please do not send us letters that are written to a specific individual. We send our letters to all U.S. Service Men and Women no matter their branch of service. Please note that A Million Thanks does NOT accept commercial, store-bought greeting cards with pre-printed messages inside. All purchased cards must be blank on the inside and the space should be filled with a handwritten message of support and appreciation.

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We are asking individuals, schools, churches, businesses, and other organizations to write letters and messages of appreciation and support for our military, past and present. It is our goal to see that our military - active, reserve, and veterans - receive these messages, whether they are serving at home, abroad, or are recovering in hospitals.

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We are asking individuals, schools, churches, businesses, and other organizations to write letters and messages of appreciation and support for our military, past and present. It is our goal to see that our military - active, reserve, and veterans - receive these messages, whether they are serving at home, abroad, or are recovering in hospitals. To get started, read the guidelines on the 'How To Send' tab above. After completing your letter(s), mail them to the A Million Thanks National Mail Intake Facility OR bring them to the drop-off location in your town! If dropping off your letters, we recommend you contact the drop-off location first to ensure they are still accepting letters. Visit the 'Where To Send' tab above for more information.

Because we get thousands of letters each week, we appreciate you including a donation of any size with your letters or through our 'Donate' page or by including cash/check with your letters. A Million Thanks is only able to offer the program through the generous support of people like you! Your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law as we are an IRS approved 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with Tax ID# 26-0361789.

Due to privacy and security restrictions, we do not distribute names or addresses of service members to anyone for any reason. We ask that you address the letters generically. Some examples of this may be 'Dear Hero' or 'Dear Troops'. Please do not send us letters that are written to a specific individual. We send our letters to all U.S. Service Men and Women no matter their branch of service. Please note that A Million Thanks does NOT accept commercial, store-bought greeting cards with pre-printed messages inside. All purchased cards must be blank on the inside and the space should be filled with a handwritten message of support and appreciation.

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We are asking individuals, schools, churches, businesses, and other organizations to write letters and messages of appreciation and support for our military, past and present. It is our goal to see that our military - active, reserve, and veterans - receive these messages, whether they are serving at home, abroad, or are recovering in hospitals.

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Veterans Day Facts - Data, Populations & Background

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Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on November 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and November 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938.

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Want to learn more about Veteran's Day? Check this video out. 

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Want to learn more about Veteran's Day? Check this video out. 

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PBS LEARNING MEDIA | Veteran's Day | PBS KIDS

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At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ends. At 5 a.m. that morning, Germany, bereft of manpower and supplies and faced with imminent invasion, signed an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car outside Compiégne, France. The First World War left nine million soldiers dead and 21 million wounded, with Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France and Great Britain each losing nearly a million or more lives. In addition, at least five million civilians died from disease, starvation, or exposure.
WATCH: The Last Day of World War I on HISTORY Vault
On June 28, 1914, in an event that is widely regarded as sparking the outbreak of World War I, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire, was shot to death with his wife by Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Ferdinand had been inspecting his uncle's imperial armed forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite the threat of Serbian nationalists who wanted these Austro-Hungarian possessions to join newly independent Serbia. Austria-Hungary blamed the Serbian government for the attack and hoped to use the incident as justification for settling the problem of Slavic nationalism once and for all. However, as Russia supported Serbia, an Austro-Hungarian declaration of war was delayed until its leaders received assurances from German leader Kaiser Wilhelm II that Germany would support their cause in the event of a Russian intervention.

On July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and the tenuous peace between Europe's great powers collapsed. On July 29, Austro-Hungarian forces began to shell the Serbian capital, Belgrade, and Russia, Serbia's ally, ordered a troop mobilization against Austria-Hungary. France, allied with Russia, began to mobilize on August 1. France and Germany declared war against each other on August 3. After crossing through neutral Luxembourg, the German army invaded Belgium on the night of August 3-4, prompting Great Britain, Belgium's ally, to declare war against Germany.

For the most part, the people of Europe greeted the outbreak of war with jubilation. Most patriotically assumed that their country would be victorious within months. Of the initial belligerents, Germany was most prepared for the outbreak of hostilities, and its military leaders had formatted a sophisticated military strategy known as the "Schlieffen Plan," which envisioned the conquest of France through a great arcing offensive through Belgium and into northern France. Russia, slow to mobilize, was to be kept occupied by Austro-Hungarian forces while Germany attacked France.

The Schlieffen Plan was nearly successful, but in early September the French rallied and halted the German advance at the bloody Battle of the Marne near Paris. By the end of 1914, well over a million soldiers of various nationalities had been killed on the battlefields of Europe, and neither for the Allies nor the Central Powers was a final victory in sight. On the western front-the battle line that stretched across northern France and Belgium-the combatants settled down in the trenches for a terrible war of attrition.
READ MORE: Life in the Trenches of World War I
In 1915, the Allies attempted to break the stalemate with an amphibious invasion of Turkey, which had joined the Central Powers in October 1914, but after heavy bloodshed the Allies were forced to retreat in early 1916. The year 1916 saw great offensives by Germany and Britain along the western front, but neither side accomplished a decisive victory. In the east, Germany was more successful, and the disorganized Russian army suffered terrible losses, spurring the outbreak of the Russian Revolution in 1917. By the end of 1917, the Bolsheviks had seized power in Russia and immediately set about negotiating peace with Germany. In 1918, the infusion of American troops and resources into the western front finally tipped the scale in the Allies' favor. Germany signed an armistice agreement with the Allies on November 11, 1918.

World War I was known as the "war to end all wars" because of the great slaughter and destruction it caused. Unfortunately, the peace treaty that officially ended the conflict-the Treaty of Versailles of 1919-forced punitive terms on Germany that destabilized Europe and laid the groundwork for World War II.

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At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, World War I ends. At 5 a.m. that morning, Germany signed an armistice agreement with the Allies near Compiégne, France.

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History of Veterans Day - U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

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Write a Letter to a Veteran Assignment Instructions 

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Write a Letter to a Veteran Assignment Instructions 

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If you would like to participate, please write a letter to a veteran and plan to mail it prior to December 1st. We will participate through a nonprofit called A Million Thanks. Complete instructions, how to send the letter, sample letters, and where to send the letter are included in the link above.

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We are asking individuals, schools, churches, businesses, and other organizations to write letters and messages of appreciation and support for our military, past and present. It is our goal to see that our military - active, reserve, and veterans - receive these messages, whether they are serving at home, abroad, or are recovering in hospitals. To get started, read the guidelines on the 'How To Send' tab above. After completing your letter(s), mail them to the A Million Thanks National Mail Intake Facility OR bring them to the drop-off location in your town! If dropping off your letters, we recommend you contact the drop-off location first to ensure they are still accepting letters. Visit the 'Where To Send' tab above for more information.

Because we get thousands of letters each week, we appreciate you including a donation of any size with your letters or through our 'Donate' page or by including cash/check with your letters. A Million Thanks is only able to offer the program through the generous support of people like you! Your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law as we are an IRS approved 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with Tax ID# 26-0361789.

Due to privacy and security restrictions, we do not distribute names or addresses of service members to anyone for any reason. We ask that you address the letters generically. Some examples of this may be 'Dear Hero' or 'Dear Troops'. Please do not send us letters that are written to a specific individual. We send our letters to all U.S. Service Men and Women no matter their branch of service. Please note that A Million Thanks does NOT accept commercial, store-bought greeting cards with pre-printed messages inside. All purchased cards must be blank on the inside and the space should be filled with a handwritten message of support and appreciation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are asking individuals, schools, churches, businesses, and other organizations to write letters and messages of appreciation and support for our military, past and present. It is our goal to see that our military - active, reserve, and veterans - receive these messages, whether they are serving at home, abroad, or are recovering in hospitals.