A defining characteristic of our American republic is service and devotion. No group exemplifies these civic virtues better than America’s veterans.

On Friday, this Veterans Day, it’s more important than ever to remember the sacrifice our veterans made for this country. 

Every Nov. 11, on what was once called Armistice Day, we celebrate Veterans Day. Just over a century ago, when World War I ended, Armistice Day was the hopeful and annual remembrance of those who had served in what was hoped would be “the War to End All Wars.”

Unfortunately, wars have continued to happen, and in 1954, Congress officially changed the holiday to Veterans Day to honor those who had served and defended the United States in those hard years of World War II and the Korean War.

Some confuse the holiday with Memorial Day in late May, but that’s to honor those who paid the ultimate price and died for our nation, while Veterans Day is an opportunity to reflect and to respect and remember the contributions of our veterans who returned home from the war or served in peacetime. 

A veteran is so much more than merely an individual who at one point was in the armed services. The values of sacrifice, dignity, and humility are often reflected in their daily lives.