On Thursday, November 11, Americans honored those who have served in the military. It was originally known as “Armistice Day” and celebrated first on November 11, 1919 — the first anniversary of the end of World War I. In 1926, Congress passed a resolution to make it an annual observance, and it became a national holiday beginning in 1938. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation changing the name to Veterans Day to honor those who served in all American wars.
Here are some facts about American veterans courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau:
- In 2009, there were 21.9 million military veterans in the United States — 1.5 million were female, 2.3 million were black, 1.1 million were Hispanic, 258,000 were Asian, 153,000 were American Indian or Alaska Native, 30,000 were Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and 17.7 million were non-Hispanic white.
- In 2009, 9 million veterans were 65 and older and 1.7 million were younger than 35.
- In 2009, there were 7.6 million Vietnam-era veterans (35 %of all living veterans served during this 1964-1975 time period), 4.5 million served during the Gulf War (representing service from Aug. 2, 1990, to present), 2.3 million in World War II (1941-1945), 2.7 million in the Korean War (1950-1953), and 5.6 million in peacetime only.
- In 2009, there were 9.8 million veterans age 18 to 64 in the labor force.
- Nine percent of all U.S. firms that are majority owned by veterans.