Veterans Day is a holiday in the US celebrating the lives of American servicemen who fought for the country during wars.  This holiday is celebrated every November 11 since 1938 for all living and dead veterans.  Started as Armistice Day on Nov 11 1919, Veterans Day is now celebrated every year since 1938.  All those who served in the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and other departments are considered as veterans and are honorees for this historical holiday.  Below are some facts about this important holiday and the people that are celebrated on this day in the US:

Fact 1:  Veterans Day only got its name in 1954.  This holiday may have been celebrated since 1919 and put into law as Armistice Day since 1938, but it was only named “Veterans” Day in 1954.  Every November 11th from 1954, the US celebrates the contributions of all servicemen in various wars and battles.

Fact 2:  4 other countries have their own version of Veterans Day.  Countries like Canada, Britain, Australia, and France were allies of the US during World War I and II and these countries also celebrate a similar holiday for their own veterans around the November 11 date of the US celebration.  This is simply due to the significance of November 11 as the actual day when World War I ended.

Fact 3:  Of the 23 million veterans in the US, about 2 million of them are women.  Many of these women also served the historical wars and battles that the US participated in including World War I and II and the Vietnam War among others.

Fact 4:  Almost 2 million of all US veterans are under 35 years of age.  Most of the veterans may already have reached 60 years old and above, but those who have served the Vietnam War are still quite young and belong to the below 35 age bracket.

Fact 5:  At least 5 US states have 1 million or more veterans.  These states are California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas.  These five states are not only big in terms of regular population but also with veteran population.

Fact 6:  9 out of 10 Disney employees were involved in creating videos for the US servicemen during World War II.  The Walt Disney Company was tapped by the US government to create propaganda and training videos at the time World War II was ongoing.

Fact 7:  Veterans are among those who turn-up during national elections.  In the 2008 presidential election for example, more than 70% of veterans went to the polls compared to only about 63% among non-veteran US citizens.

Fact 8:  12% of the homeless adults in the US are veterans.  This statistic simply emphasizes the fact that many US servicemen ended up poor and homeless after their service for their country.

 Fact 9:  Half of the veterans that served in different wars were diagnosed to have PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder.  This is simply due to the fact that being part of any war is always difficult and traumatizing.

Fact 10:  6 million veterans have served the US during peace time.  These servicemen are also celebrated and honored as heroes during Veterans Day even if they were not part of any war or battle with other countries.