November 11, 2003, marks the 50th anniversary of Veterans Day. On this day,  we thank and  honor all those who served honorably in the military – during times of war and during times of peace. We remember those veterans who died, and we thank living veterans for their service, their contributions, and their sacrifices for our country. 

     Veterans Day is always observed on November 11 - the day the armistice was signed to end World War I. The day was originally called Armistice Day, a day set aside to honor the veterans of World War I. In 1954, the name was changed to Veterans Day, and recognized all veterans. The first nationwide observance of Veterans Day was on November 11, 1954.

 This year, the Vietnam Women Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. celebrates its 10th anniversary. The memorial, which was dedicated on November 11, 1993, is a sculpture of three uniformed women with a wounded soldier. 
 To download this year's Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Day Poster (pictured above), visit the Web page www.va.gov/vetsday.


Did you know . . . the last veteran of the Spanish American War (1898-1902), Nathan E. Cook, died on September 10, 1992, at the age of 106.