On the early morning of 11th November 1918, after four years of World War I, German and Allied powers came together at Rethondes in France for signing the armistice to bring the hostilities to an end. The agreement came to effect at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, and finally signaled the end to all carnage. 

A year later, on the first anniversary of the day, President Woodrow Wilson spoke about the brave sacrifices of the ones who laid their lives for their nation. He named that day as the Armistice Day for honoring the troops and celebrating the opportunity that the USA has received to advance the cause of justice and peace in the world. In 1945, a veteran of World War II, Raymond Weeks appealed General Dwight D. Eisenhower to create National Veterans Day. Finally, in 1947, the first Veterans Day celebration was organized by Weeks in Birmingham. 

Here's taking a look at some of the US Veterans Day traditions for honoring the brave men and women of the military services.

Attend the celebrations at Arlington National Cemetery

The National Veterans Day ceremony is celebrated each year on 11th November at Arlington National Cemetery. The ceremony starts exactly at 11 a.m. when the President lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. In case the President is not present for some reason, the wreath is laid by one of his representatives. A bugler sounds simultaneously with the laying of the presidential wreath. Thereafter, the ceremony continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater. Here, a color guard having members from every armed force participates in a flag parade.

The rules of folding the veterans casket flag

There is a particular way of folding the veterans casket flag or the flag to cover the military casket. Here are the five steps of the procedure:

  • Straighten the flag completely and fold once lengthwise. Fold lengthwise once more for meeting the open edge.

  • Start the triangular fold by bringing the striped part of the folded portion to the open portion.

  • Form a second triangle by repeating the earlier step and turning the outer point inward.

  • Continue folding the flag in this triangular form till the end where the blue union is reached. Only the blue must be showing and the shape of the flag should resemble a hat.

  • Since the blue portion with the stars is the representation of the veterans, it needs to be inverted while being draped on the casket of a veteran as a pall.

The formal arrival at the cemetery

It is a rare honor to get to attend the funeral service of a military veteran on Veteran's Day. The veteran comes to the cemetery in a hearse, and at times a caisson or a horse-drawn carriage carries this casket. There are no riders on the horses that stay on the right because traditionally these horses were used for carrying funeral provisions. Usually, if the veteran held a high rank in the military, a rider-less horse might be following the carriage, in the fond memory of the passed officer. You should also understand the right way to salute at a military funeral service. You must salute when the hearse passes by you, when the casket is being lowered in the ground, when the guns salute in given, and when taps are played.

Visiting a cemetery to honor the Veteran

You can honor a deceased soldier on Veteran's Day by paying a visit to her or his gravesite. It can be the location of his tombstone or the place where his ashes were scattered. You can offer to clean the gravesite of any leaves and debris and leave fresh flower bouquets there. Fold the American flag in the way mentioned before and place it over her or his grave as a mark of respect and gratitude. By doing this, you are not just honoring the deceased but also showing your love for all the soldiers of the nation who are currently serving the country.

Visit memorials dedicated to the Veterans

Memorials dedicated to the Veterans are found all across the cities and towns of the country. So, whether you want to honor the soldiers of a particular battle, or pay your respect to a particular branch of the military, or maybe you want to honor a distinguished individual who bravely served the country, you can visit a memorial near you to do that. There are memorials dedicated to the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and the World War II all over the United States. You will just have to decide on the ones you want to visit.

Veterans Day is the unique federal holiday which all Americans celebrate to thank the people who have served or are presently serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. Following the traditions mentioned above will make your Veterans Day celebrations even more meaningful.