Besides my late older brother AJSIII who went to Vietnam for the US Army, I wish to pay tribute to all veterans who have served.
This is a special celebration. It is the first Veterans Day since 2000 that the USA is not involved in a war, thanks to POTUS.
The theme for Veterans Day 2021 is centered on the centennial commemoration of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Located at Arlington National Cemetery, the Tomb was initially dedicated by the Army on Armistice Day, November 11, 1921, with the burial of an unknown service member from World War I. Over the past century, additional unknowns have been buried at the Tomb, and the site has become a people’s memorial that inspires reflection on service, valor, sacrifice, and mourning.
This year’s Veterans Day poster competition asks artists to envision a design that evokes elements of the Tomb's history, legacy, and meaning during its centennial anniversary. Whether inspired by historic images of the Tomb, the ceremonies and rituals that take place at the site, or the physical Tomb itself, artists should interpret the Tomb’s centennial in a way that honors its past and recognizes its continued importance in American society to all.
Veterans Day celebrations come from the end of World War I. On Nov. 11, 1918, an armistice between the U.S.-led Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Though the war wasn’t officially over until the Treaty of Versailles was signed seven months later, Nov. 11 is recognized as the end of the “war to end all wars,” according to history from the Veterans Administration.
