Veteran's day is often confused with Memorial Day. Memorial Day is the day that we remember the men and women who have lost their lives in military service to our country. Veteran's Day is a day to celebrate, commemorate and honor ALL veteran's both living and dead.

The first Veteran's Day was celebrated on November 11, 1918 at the end of World War One. For a number of years it was called Armistice Day. Had World War I truly been the war to end all wars, it very well could have remained Armistice Day, but with the arrival of World War II the day of honor was renamed Veteran's Day.

As a federal holiday, all federal agencies are closed and many state and local agencies follow suit. If the 11^th of November falls on a weekend then the Friday or Monday, is observed as Veteran's Day. The annual Veteran's Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery will be held on the actual date, regardless if it is a weekend or not.

Many local governments hold ceremonies at or near public monuments and often there are parades to mark the occasion. While the day is really about honoring all veteran's many people think most about those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Since 2000 the Library of Congress has been working on the Veteran's Projection. This project encourages Veterans to record their memories or the memories of others about their war time service. These stories and bits of living history are being preserved so that future generations will know what it means to be a Veteran. Many school groups have even set about collecting the information as an opportunity to learn more about Veterans living in their communities.

Take a moment to pause this Veteran's Day and reflect on the courage and sacrifice that each Veteran has made with his or her service, because that truly is what Veteran's Day is all about.