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Veterans
Day
Facts
and
Information
from
Hallmark
Veterans
Day -
Always
observed
November
11
Facts
Approximately
23.5
million
Americans
are
military
veterans.
(Source:
U.S.
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs,
Sept.
2007)
Approximately
1.7
million
military
veterans
are
women.
(Source:
U.S.
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs,
Oct.
2007)
More
than
16
million
veterans
of
American
wars
are
living,
including
approximately:
· 2.5 million World War II veterans
· 2.4 million Korean conflict veterans
· 7.2 million Vietnam veterans
· 2.3 million Desert Shield/Desert Storm veterans
· 802,000 Global War on Terror veterans
(Source:
U.S.
Department
of
Veterans
Affairs,
May
2008)
Holiday
History
Originally
Armistice
Day,
Veterans
Day
became
a
national
holiday
in
1954
when
then-President
Dwight
D.
Eisenhower
signed
legislation
proclaiming
Nov.
11
“Veterans
Day.”
In
1968,
a law
was
passed
to
change
the
national
commemoration
of
Veterans
Day
to
the
fourth
Monday
in
October.
It
became
apparent
that
Nov.
11
was a
date
of
historic
significance
to
many
Americans.
Therefore,
in
1978
Congress
returned
the
observance
to
its
original
date.
Hallmark
first
offered
Veterans
Day
cards
in
2002,
although
it
had
tested
Veterans
Day
cards
in
1985
and
1999
but
found
little
consumer
interest.
America’s
attitude
change
following
the
9/11
terrorist
attacks
on
the
United
States,
however,
indicated
consumer
desire
for
Veterans
Day
cards.
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