Veterans Day will be observed on Tuesday, marking a federal holiday to recognize the service of U.S. military veterans.
Communities across the country will hold ceremonies and events, while some government services will close for the day.
Here is what you need to know about the history of the holiday, which services may be impacted and how to participate.
What is Veterans Day?
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Veterans Day is a federal holiday that honors all U.S. military veterans — living and deceased — who served in the nation’s armed forces, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The holiday began as Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918. It was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to recognize veterans from all wars, according to the VA.
Veterans Day is one of the nation’s designated federal observances recognizing those who served, rather than commemorating a single conflict or battle, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
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Is Veterans Day the same as Memorial Day?
The two holidays serve different purposes: Veterans Day honors all who have served in the armed forces, whether during war or peace, and Memorial Day honors those who have died while serving, according to the VA.
What’s closed?
Because Veterans Day is a federal holiday, some services will be affected with closed or limited hours, including:
- Federal offices
- U.S. Postal Service offices and mail delivery
- Many banks and financial institutions
- Some state and local government offices, depending on the city or county
Dallas City Hall, the city’s municipal courts, libraries and administrative offices for Dallas Park and Recreation and Dallas Water Utilities will be closed, according to the city of Dallas website.
What’s open?
Most grocery stores and retail businesses typically operate as usual, according to the National Retail Federation, and most restaurants are open.
Public transit systems may run on weekend or holiday schedules, according to local transit agencies.
School schedules for North Texas districts vary, with some closed and others remaining open. Dallas ISD will remain open on Veterans Day, as indicated on the Dallas ISD calendar.
How to celebrate or recognize Veterans Day
Communities often host public observances, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. These may include parades and ceremonies organized by cities, veterans organizations or local military groups.
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It might be celebrated with Veterans Day programs in schools, museums and libraries. Additionally, a moment of silence is observed at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, marking the armistice that ended World War I, according to the VA.
Some federal events for veterans have been canceled in Dallas-Fort Worth due to the government shutdown. The uncertainty around how long the shutdown would last led the organizers to scrap the events.