November 11 is known as Veterans' Day in the United States and I celebrate it with pride.

Like all things in the United States there is a great deal of history that makes this day special. It is a day to celebrate the lives of those brave men and women who have served this nation with distinction in every branch of our armed services. Veterans' Day didn't start out so named but rather was established initially to commemorate the "Armistice" or temporary cessation of hostilities in World War I. This armistice was prior to the signing of the "Treaty of Versailles" in 1918. The armistice was established on the 11th of November at the 11th hour. That being the case President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11, 1919 as "Armistice Day" and that was to carry forward in our nation each November 11. The original concept for the celebration was for the suspension of business for a two minute period beginning at 11 A.M., with the day also marked by parades and public meetings.

On the second anniversary of the armistice in 1920, France and the United Kingdom held ceremonies honoring their unknown dead from the war. In America, at the suggestion of church groups, President Wilson named the Sunday nearest Armistice Day, Armistice Day Sunday, on which should be held services in the interest of international peace.

On October 20, 1921 Congress passed legislation approving the establishment of a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. November 11 was chosen for the date of the ceremony. Congress declared November 11, 1921 a legal Federal holiday to honor all those who participated in the war. The ceremony was conducted with great success.

Congress passed legislation on May 13, 1938 making November 11 a legal Federal holiday, Armistice Day. The United States had no ‘actual' national holidays because the states retained the right to designate their own holidays. The Federal government can in fact only designate holidays for Federal employees and for the District of Columbia. But in practice the states almost always follow the Federal lead in designation of holidays.

In 1954, following World War II and The Korean War many more Veterans had been created and had returned home. On June 1, 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation officially changing the November 11 holiday to "Veterans' Day" to honor Veterans of all wars.

From 1971 - 1977 the holiday was changed to be observed on the fourth Monday of October but by popular demand the holiday was changed back to the original Armistice anniversary of November 11 in 1978.

I hope by knowing a bit of the history of this holiday you can better understand why I feel so strongly about it. These kernels of history are many times not passed on to our posterity in a way that helps them to appreciate the liberty that they enjoy.

In speaking to the Arch Bishop of Canterbury about the initial invasion of Iraq and increasing support for the effort to remove Saddam Hussein from power Colin Powell made the following statement that I think truly summarizes what most Veterans feel. His quote was as follows;

"Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."

Let your mind be upon the cost of freedom as this Veterans' Day passes.