When is Veterans Day in 2023? When is it observed?
Veterans Day is on Nov. 11 every year, regardless of what day of the week it falls.
However, it falls on a Saturday this year, meaning that federal employees will observe the federal holiday the previous day, on Friday, Nov. 10, and many government services will be closed. Many schools and companies will also be closed Friday in observation of the holiday.
What was Veterans Day originally called?
The Nov. 11 day of remembrance wasn’t always known as Veterans Day. It was first known as “Armistice Day,” marking the day that fighting ceased in World War I in 1918.
Armistice Day was recognized as an official holiday by Congress in 1938, first used to honor veterans of World War I, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. In 1954, following both World War II and the Korean War, the word “armistice” was changed to “veterans” to honor veterans of all American wars.
The day Veterans Day was celebrated moved a few times over the years, but President Gerald Ford moved it back to its annual observance on the Nov. 11 date by 1978.
