Veterans Day commemorated this weekend

Veterans Day commemorated this weekend

Veterans Day falls on a Sunday this year, but the slate of events traditionally held to honor it has been in no way downsized because of it being on a weekend.

The nation’s capital, for example, will host a number of ceremonies to mark Veterans Day, with an American Legion presence at several. National Commander James E. Koutz and aide Steve Short, along with Legion staff from the organization’s Washington office, will attend the presidential wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery at 11 a.m. The same group will be on hand at the ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington at 1 p.m. and will present the Legion’s wreath at the Wall.

Meanwhile, in New York, the United War Veterans Council’s annual Veterans Day Parade is scheduled to step off at 11 a.m. on Sunday, despite the area still dealing with the aftereffects of Superstorm Sandy. Past National Commander Fang Wong has been named a co-grand marshal of the parade, which is expected to draw around 500,000 people to Fifth Avenue.

The American Legion has a Veterans Day landing page on Legion.org dedicated to these events and other news, for easy access and bookmarking. The page includes:

  • News about observances at which the Legion will have a presence.
  • Background on the history of Veterans Day.
  • Access to the yearly ceremony held by USAA, the Legion’s preferred provider of financial services.
  • Useful links including Legion materials that posts can use to hold their own observances in their communities, discounts, and free offers from restaurants and companies eager to show their appreciation.

The landing page will be updated with more coverage through Veterans Day and beyond.