Notations From the Grid (Special Edition): #VeteransDay2021 in The United States

 

November 11 is Veterans Day here in the United States.   Our team pulled together some #RandomThoughts courtesy USAFACTS, The Doughboy Foundation and Military.Com as we salute all who have served:

Celebrating Veterans Day Thursday, November 11 is Veterans Day. What started as a day to commemorate the armistice that ended World War I has evolved in the United States to celebrate the service of thousands of men and women. Decades later, what's life like for American veterans? USAFacts has a data snapshot of veterans nationwide. As of 2019, approximately 7% of American adults were veterans. That's 18 million people. The number of veterans is declining — there were more than 26 million in 2000. This is partly due to the shrinking size of the military and older veterans passing away.

The share of US veterans who served during the Vietnam War, Korean War, or World War II was 44.4% in 2019. The share who served after 9/11 was 21.7%. More than half of veterans were older than 65.   More than 9 million veterans were employed in 2019, with the largest group — 22% — working in government. Twelve percent of veterans were in manufacturing and 11% were in professional and business services, including consulting, management, and accounting.   Disability compensation has been the most-used benefit since at least 2000. See more facts about former military members, including charts on Veterans Affairs expenditures, disability rates, and poverty rates.

November 11th marks the first Veterans Day for the National World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C.  

If you are in the National Capital region, please join us at the Memorial for our Bells of Peace Ceremony.  Special guest, Admiral Mike Mullen, the 17th Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, will join Terry Hamby, Chairman of the U.S. WWI Centennial Commission, and myself for the event.
 
The Ceremony begins at 10:45am EST and will include a wreath laying, the reading of the Archibald MacLeish poem, "The Young Dead Soldiers Do Not Speak", the 11am tolling of the Bells of Peace by the Naval History and Heritage Command, and a special performance of Taps echoing from multiple buglers in WWI uniform. The ceremony will remember the WWI Armistice that went into effect at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, and honor all Americans who served in WWI.

It is the beginning of a poignant 2021 Veterans Day which also marks the centennial of the internment of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery.

The Unknown was chosen from the many unidentified Doughboys who fell in the fields of Europe, to symbolize the service and sacrifice of the 4.7 million who put on the American uniform during WWI.

Across the nation at 11am local, there will be "Bells of Peace" tolling ceremonies held by cities, veterans organizations, DAR Chapters, churches, schools, media organizations and individuals. [CLICK HERE] to learn how you can participate wherever you are.

Also at 11am local, hundreds of buglers organized by Taps for Veterans will sound taps in a "The National Salute." [CLICK HERE] for more information.

Thank you for taking this Veterans Day to remember all those who served in WWI, the War that Changed the World.

 All the best,

 Dan

 

Daniel S. Dayton
President
The Doughboy Foundation

Today's Number is 112


Lawrence Brooks. the oldest known living American veteran
 
Born on Sep.12, 1909, Lawrence Brooks, from New Orleans, Louisiana, is the oldest known surviving American World War II veteran. He served with the 91st Engineer Battalion. Read more.

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