Veterans Day 2017: What you need to know

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STEVEN L. COY

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LOS ANGELES - JUNE 6: Former Iraqi war prisoner of war (POW) Shoshana Johnson salutes as she leaves Crenshaw High School June 6, 2003 in Los Angeles, California. Shoshana, the first black female POW, was captured and shot in the ankles during the U.S. invasion of Iraq on March 23 near Nasiriyah along with six other U.S. Army personnel from the El Paso-based 507th Maintenance Company. Johnson was honored at the high school for her service. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

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WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 12: U.S. President Barack Obama (R) presents the Medal of Honor to retired Army Captain Florent Groberg during an East Room ceremony at the White House November 12, 2015 in Washington, DC. Born in France and a naturalized U.S. citizen, Groberg received the Medal of Honor for tackling a suicide bomber and saving fellow soldiers' lives in Afghanistan's Kunar Province in August 2012. He was also badly injured in the attack, which killed four people. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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He joined the military to fight terrorism

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An act of heroism inspired this Army captain

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Brothers by blood and brothers in arms

Story highlights

Veterans Day honors the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces

18.5 million veterans live in the United States

There are numerous ways to celebrate Veterans Day 2017

Editor’s Note: Parts of this updated story were first published in 2016.

CNN —

Veterans Day is celebrated annually on November 11 to honor those who have served in the Armed Forces as well as those who have fallen defending the country.

Military kids thank their parents

Since this federal holiday falls on a Saturday this year, many workers and students have the day off on Friday November 10. Whether or not this is the case for you, it’s worth taking a moment to learn about the holiday and the veterans who live among us.

Remember your history

Although World War I officially ended on June 28, 1919 when the Treaty of Versailles was signed, fighting between the Allied forces and Germany had already ceased months prior. On the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice went into effect.

Armistice Day was celebrated every year thereafter in the United States until 1954, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed it to Veterans Day to encompass the honoring of veterans of all American wars.

In 1930, the Veterans Administration (VA) was established to “consolidate and coordinate Government activities affecting war veterans.” It was renamed in 1989 as the Department of Veterans Affairs, continuing to be known as the VA.

Department of Veterans Affairs fast facts

Some key figures

There are 18.5 million veterans living in the United States as of 2016, according to the Census Bureau. Of these, 1.6 million veterans are women.

A large proportion of the veteran population, 9.2 million, are aged 65 and older, while 1.6 million are younger than 35.

The American labor force has 7.2 million veterans ages 18 to 65. Of these, 6.8 million are employed. Male and female veterans’ annual median incomes are both higher than their nonveteran counterparts.

Surprising celebrities who served in the U.S. military

Lifting the veil

Despite veterans having an annual holiday celebrating their heroism, troubling stories have emerged in recent years that paint a grim picture for many veterans in America.

In 2013, CNN reported that on average more than 22 veterans commit suicide every day.

The uncounted suicides in military families

In 2014, the Veterans Health Administration was the subject of numerous investigations after reports of negligent handling of a backlog of veterans seeking medical care by VA hospitals went public. Dozens of veterans are reported to have died awaiting treatment.