Veterans Day, which takes place every year on November 11, celebrates US veterans service to their country.
There are around 19 million U.S. veterans as of this year, according to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs. These and more facts are available from the Pew Research Center.
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/05/the-changing-face-of-americas-veteran-population/
Demographic, social, and economic data on veterans are collected on several U.S. Census Bureau surveys. These data are used for policy analysis, program planning, and budgeting of veteran programs.
U.S. still counts a large population of veterans, a great many of whom are struggling to find a job, housing or health care. Thanking veterans for their service can go a long way, but many feel we owe them and their families more. Let’s start by identifying who our veterans are and where they live.
https://www.ncsl.org/blog/2017/11/10/veterans-by-the-numbers.aspx
The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Below is a sample of stories of veterans from Illinois who served in World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Iraq War, many more stories are available to search.
https://www.loc.gov/vets/about.html
http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.85998/mv0001001.stream
http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.84896/mv0001001.stream
http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.63374/mv0001001.stream
Tom Rice, a paratrooper with the famed 101st Airborne Division, jumping into Normandy on June 6, 1944. On June 5, 2019 – at the age of 97 – he once again jumped into Normandy, landing near the exact same location he landed 75 years prior. WATCH and SHARE his remarkable story.