“Veterans Day 2016: What you need to know”

Veterans Day is celebrated annually on November 11 to honor those who have served in the Armed Forces as well as those who have fallen defending the country. This will be the first Veterans Day to take place after the historic ban on women participating in ground combat was lifted. Since it's a federal holiday, many workers and students have the day off. Whether or not this is the case for you, it's worth taking a moment to learn about the holiday and the veterans who live among us. There are 18.8 million veterans living in the United States, according to the Census Bureau. Of these, 1.6 million veterans are women. Veterans Day was first known as Armistice Day. Here’s the story. Although World War I officially ended on June 28, 1919 when the Treaty of Versailles was signed, fighting between the Allied forces and Germany had already ceased months prior. On the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice went into effect. Armistice Day was celebrated every year thereafter in the United States until 1954, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed it to Veterans Day to encompass the honoring of veterans of all American wars.

In Other News President Barack Obama welcomed President-elect Donald Trump to the White House Thursday, as both men put past antagonisms aside in a time honored ritual epitomizing the peaceful transfer of political power. Obama told his successor that he wanted him to succeed and would do everything he could to ensure a smooth transition. Trump called Obama a "very good man" and said he would seek his counsel in future. The extraordinary meeting was a reflection of the swift and sudden change in the political mood between the frenzied last days of an election campaign and the reality of government and the transition of power between to administrations that follows. "My No. 1 priority in the next two months is to try to facilitate a transition that ensures our President-elect is successful," Obama said. There is always confusion over the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day: Celebrated the last Monday in May, Memorial Day is the holiday set aside to pay tribute to those who died serving in the military. Veterans Day: This federal holiday falls on November 11 and is designated as a day to honor all who have served in the military.