Black History Month can trace its origins back 50 years, to when black educators at Kent State University first proposed the idea in February 1969. The following year, the public research college in Northeastern Ohio observed the first Black History Month, which since then has expanded across the United States, as well as to Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and  Ireland.

While African Americans have made countless positive contributions to our country's cultural, economic and political fabric, their service in our nation's armed forces deserves special recognition. From the 5,000 black soldiers who fought during the Revolutionary War to the Tuskegee Airmen who piloted bombers in WWII, African Americans have been serving the United States since it's inception, even at times when the U.S. failed to serve them.

And of the many pioneering black servicemen and women worthy of praise, special attention should be given to Lillian E. Fishburne, who in 1998 became the first African-American woman to hold the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy.

The life and career of Rear Adm. Fishburne

Lillian Elaine Fishburne was born into a naval family in Patuxent River, Maryland, on March 25, 1949–just one year after the integration of minorities and women in the military.

Fishburne was raised in Rockville, Maryland, by an active-duty father who never doubted his daughter's military ambitions. After obtaining a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Lincoln University in 1971, she spent two years at the Women Officers School at Newport, Rhode Island, becoming an ensign after graduating in February 1973.

According to Black Past, Fishburne's first naval assignment was serving as a personnel and legal officer at the Naval Air Test Facility in Lakehurst, New Jersey. She went on to act as an Officer Programs recruiter in Miami, then as the officer in charge of the Naval Telecommunications Center at the Great Lakes, Illinois Naval Base.

Fishburne then went back to school for another two years, earning her Master of Arts in Management from Webster College in St. Louis, Missouri. She spent the next two years at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, graduating with a Master of Science in Telecommunications Systems Management in 1982.

Thanks to appointments to positions such as executive officer at the Naval Communications Command in Yokosuka, Japan, and special projects officer for the Navy's Command, Control, and Communications Directorate, Fishburne was eventually selected for the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

After becoming Chief of the Command and Control Systems Support Division in Washington, D.C., and commanding the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Eastern Pacific, in Hawaii, Fishburne made history by attaining the rank of Rear Admiral on Feb. 1, 1998, and was promoted by President Bill Clinton.

A legacy of heroism

Fishburne retired in February 2001, with a long list of decorations that included the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, two Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy Commendation Medals, and the Navy Achievement Medal.

During a 1998 ceremony to honor Fishburne, along with other military members, Secretary of Defense William Cohen delivered a speech in which he quoted novelist and retired Air Force Maj. Albert Murray as saying, "Heroism… is measured in terms of the stress and strain it can endure, and the magnitude and complexity of the obstacles that it overcomes… which bring out the best in [heroes]."

"Considering the stresses and strains endured by African-Americans in the defense of our country, it's little wonder that we have so many heroes among us," Secretary Cohen added, according to Military.com.

Retired Rear Admiral Lillian E. Fishburne is just one of the many heroes that all Americans should reflect upon and honor during Black History Month.

The United Service Organizations will be celebrating its 78^th birthday on Monday, Feb. 4, 2019.

Better known as the USO, the private, not-for-profit organization works in cooperation with the Department of Defense to provide live entertainment and other services to members of the United States military and their families.

Born in 1941, the USO claims six different parents—the Salvation Army, the YMCA, the YWCA, Catholic Community Services, National Travelers Aid Association and the National Jewish Welfare Board. President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked the six agencies to combine their resources to boost the morale of troops fighting in World War II.

Although congressionally chartered, the USO is not a government agency, and has relied on charitable donations and the efforts of tens of thousands of volunteers for all of its nearly eight decades of history.

A new organization gives Hope to America's heroes

After being formed in 1941, the USO quickly became known for its live performances, which began with stateside military theaters spread throughout the country, and soon led to Hollywood stars heading overseas to entertain the troops.

Of those stars, the one most closely associated with the organization was comedian Bob Hope, who performed his first USO show only three months after its founding. Hope went on to entertain troops for the next 50 years, making his last trip overseas in 1990 during the Gulf War.

In 1997, the U.S. Congress declared Bob Hope the "first and only honorary veteran of the U.S. armed forces," in recognition of his half a century of entertaining those serving in the nation's wars. The USO Center at the Los Angeles International Airport also bears his name.

Of course, no one could have originally imagined that Hope would eventually develop such a lengthy tenure as an ambassador for the USO—especially since the organization originally disbanded in 1947, after the Axis powers surrendered and ended WWII.

But in 1949, with America at the beginning of what would eventually become a lengthy Cold War, the USO's six original founding organizations decided to revive the agency. But due to funding issues, it wasn't until the Korean War began that the USO was back entertaining troops overseas, and the Defense Department earmarked $13 million for the organization's operations.

Yet the agency dealt with similar funding issues after the war concluded, and became dormant once more, remaining inactive until the U.S. entered the conflict in Vietnam.

Eventually, the USO received a government charter, and the organization also began placing more emphasis on improving the lives of military families, while still providing entertainment to soldiers as well.

Over 35 million troops served

Today the USO claims over 200 locations spread across 14 countries, including America, where it has a presence in 27 states. Over 30,000 volunteers help the organization realize its mission, as do the many musicians and entertainers who continue to perform live shows for military service members.

In 2016, during a gala event to celebrate the USO's 75^th birthday, retired Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. estimated that the USO had served more than 35 million Americans over the course of its history, according to The Providence Journal.

That service continues to take many forms, including family counseling for military members returning home from deployment, services for troops at airports as they travel to and from duty overseas and various programs that allow those deployed overseas to connect with their families stateside

As mentioned, the USO is a charity organization with a small paid staff, which relies on volunteers and charitable donations. To give the USO a birthday gift, head to their donation page and show your support.

Late last year, just days before breaking for the holidays, the 115th United States Congress managed to pass two pieces of legislation aimed at improving education benefits for members of the military transitioning into civilian life.

The Forever GI Bill Housing Payment Fulfillment Act, which was designed to correct mistakes made by the Department of Veterans Affairs that led to delayed and inaccurate payments for thousands of Post-9/11 GI Bill users, passed both houses with unanimous consent. Further bipartisan support was shown for the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act, which had a similar goal of protecting student veterans, as well as easing voting rules for military spouses and expanding burial benefits for military families, among other provisions.

President Donald Trump has since signed both bills into law. Here's what the new legislation will mean for military members and veterans moving forward.

GI Bill students underpaid due to VA errors to receive reimbursement

The first bill pertains to those taking college classes or getting on-the-job training through the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which provides up to 36 months of education benefits to qualifying veterans or active duty military members with at least 90 days of aggregate active duty service after Sept. 10, 2001.

Veterans were previously required to use these education benefits within 15 years of completing their service, yet that deadline was erased with the creation of the Forever GI Bill. Unfortunately, a Forever GI Bill provision that changed the way housing stipends are calculated was not implemented on time due to major technology failures at the Department of Veterans Affairs, which led to many students being underpaid, according to Military Times.

Not only did some students struggle to pay their rent or mortgage bills as a result, but many were also hit by late fees for tuition that the VA also failed to pay on time.

The Forever GI Bill Housing Payment Fulfillment Act of 2018 holds the VA accountable for retroactively fixing inaccurate payments and reimbursing affected students, while also barring schools from the practice of charging GI Bill students for tuition payments that are delayed through no fault of their own.

"For many student veterans, every dime counts," said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, who co-sponsored the bill. "That's why the VA needs to get this right and pay student veterans the full amount of money they were promised. I'm glad that my colleagues in the Senate saw how important this issue is, and I hope this bill stays on the fast track to becoming law, so we can make this right for our veterans."

More benefits for student, transitioning and homeless veterans

These student veterans protections are complemented by a provision in the new Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, which requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide GI Bill users with electronic proof that they will be receiving housing payments from the VA.

The new requirement will enable students to prove to landlords their ability to pay for housing even if they are a full-time student without active employment. The new law also enables the spouse of a service member who dies on active duty to terminate a residential lease without penalty for up to one year after the death.

In addition to students, transitioning service members and homeless veterans are also set to receive greater assistance acclimating to life on the homefront, thanks to the new law.

The VA is now required to contract with a non-federal entity to identify and post a list of programs and organizations that can help service members transition out of the military.

Another provision gives homeless veterans up to 60 days after moving into housing to apply for employment assistance under the federal Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program. Previously, only veterans living on the streets or in a shelter were eligible for assistance.

The spouses and family members of U.S. military members are also impacted by the new legislation, according to Air Force Times.

Military spouses are now allowed to use the same residence as their active-duty spouse for state and local voting purposes, whether or not they meet the residency requirements of a state on their own merits.

The law also extends veteran burial rights to the spouses and children of active-duty service members, even if they pass away before the military member. Previously, being buried in veteran cemeteries required approval from the VA.

We're often told around this time of year that it feels better to give than to receive, and that's especially true when the recipients of your generosity are those who have sacrificed the most for our country.

If you are a servicemember, you don't get to enjoy the kind of "Christmas bonuses" that many civilians see showing up in their paychecks during this season. Yet many military families badly need such a boost, especially when trying to purchase presents for their children on an already tight budget.

Fortunately, if you have a little money and kindness to spare, you can help make a difference in the lives of those who make year round sacrifices for all of us. Here are a few organizations that will help you have an impact:

Full Circle Home

Founded in 2007, Full Circle Home seeks to provide a link between deployed service members and their loved ones at home or on base. In a little over a decade, the organization has assisted over 21,000 troops in sending holiday gifts and love notes to their partners on the homefront. If you donate, you can help provide that connection between heroes serving overseas and their stateside significant others.

Pay Away the Layaway

Since 2011, Pay Away the Layaway has gone to cities across the country during both the back-to-school and holiday seasons to pay off the balances of families buying classroom supplies and Christmas gifts on layaway. Those interested in helping can become a "Layaway Angel" by making a donation to the nonprofit, or going directly to the layaway counter at their local Kmart, Walmart or Burlington Coat Factory and paying down a family's debt.

Right now, Military Benefits has partnered with Pay Away the Layaway to raise funds specifically for military families struggling to afford toys and other holiday gifts. You can donate here to help them meet their $5,000 goal.

Operation Christmas Spirit

Operation Help A Hero is an all-volunteer charity that seeks to support military units and families as they deal with difficulties related to the various stages of service, from preparing for separation, to deployment and the eventual transition back to the U.S.

Each year, the organization launches Operation Christmas Spirit, which has been showering military families with holiday gratitude for the last 16 years. There are many ways to help out, from hosting a toy drive to collecting gift cards to simply donating online and letting other volunteers do the holiday shopping.

If you'd like to get really involved, you can even "adopt" a military family and do their shopping for them. This late into the season, Operation Christmas Spirit encourages people to donate money instead, but if family adoption interests you, it's something to keep in mind for next year.

Operation Holiday Joy

The Armed Services YMCA is one of the best-rated charities in America, having been recognized by both Charity Navigator and Independent Charities of America. So you can be confident when the ASYMCA promises that 100 percent of your donation to their Operation Holiday Joy program will go directly to providing food and toys to deserving military families, as long as you check a box on your donation form requesting that they cover the processing costs.

For the last 14 years, Operation Holiday Joy has managed to raise more than $1.5 million, which has been used to purchase over 320,000 toys and in more than 25,000 baskets of food delivered to deserving military families on Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

This Friday marks the 77th anniversary of the "date which will live in infamy," as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously described December 7, 1941.

A total of 2,403 service members and civilians were killed during the Japanese military's surprise aerial attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. An additional 1,178 Americans were injured in the tragedy, which also destroyed 188 aircraft and two U.S. Navy battleships, the USS. Arizona and USS. Utah.

For six decades, the incident stood as the deadliest attack on U.S. soil, until being eclipsed by the events of September 11, 2001. And each year since 1994, Americans have solemnly observed its anniversary with National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

The history of the Pearl Harbor attack

Just before 8 a.m. on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, a surprise attack consisting of 353 Imperial Japanese aircraft descended upon the Pearl Harbor Naval Base, located near Honolulu, on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

The unprovoked act of war killed 2,335 members of the U.S. military, according to the Pearl Harbor Visitors Bureau, including 2,008 Navy personnel, 109 Marines and 218 Army service members. An additional 68 civilians also lost their lives as a result.

Nearly half of those casualties were from the USS Arizona. The remains of the battleship have since become a memorial to the incident, and are also the final resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors and Marines killed on the ship that day.

The day after the attack, Roosevelt delivered his iconic "Infamy Speech" to Congress and requested a formal declaration of war on the Empire of Japan, which the legislature granted in less than an hour. Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States.

"No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory," Roosevelt promised during his speech to Congress. 

It ended up taking over three years and eight months for America and its Allies to claim victory over the Axis powers. Though his words proved true, Roosevelt himself died in office five months before they fully came to fruition on September 2, 1945, when General Douglas MacArthur accepted Japan's surrender. 

There were also 407,316 United States military members who never lived to see peace, having made the ultimate sacrifice for their country during the deadliest conflict in world history. 

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

December 7th was designated National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day by the United States Congress on August 23, 1994. The following November, 29, President Bill Clinton issued a proclamation declaring December 7, 1994 the first National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

This year will be the 25th observance of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance. As is customary, events will be held at World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, culminating with a commemoration ceremony on Friday morning.

According to the National Parks Service, the 2018 National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Commemoration will take place from 7:50 a.m. until 9:15 a.m., and include a moment of silence at 7:55 a.m., when the original attack occurred. The event will be open to the public, with the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center opening at 6:00 a.m. and closing at 5:00 p.m. that day.

USS Arizona Memorial programs will run from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., with tickets distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning at 6:00 a.m. the morning of Dec. 7. Tickets cannot be reserved.

Those interested can go to the official Pearl Harbor Events website to find more information about other commemorative events happening that day in Hawaii, or to watch live streams of the ceremonies.

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, has a rich history as a proving ground for various major developments.

The base was built on and partially named after land that was once used by local inventors Wilbur and Orville Wright to test and perfect the world's first successful airplane. During World War II, German aircrafts were sent back to the laboratories for analysis. Beginning in the late 1940s, Wright-Patt's Air Technical Intelligence Center began its infamous investigation into reports of UFO sightings. In the late fifties, the base was the site of medical examinations to determine the final selection of the Mercury astronauts who eventually landed on the moon. Thousands of aeronautical inventions have been birthed at the base, including advanced gas turbine engines, aircraft electronic controls, stealth technology and precision-guided bombs.

And this year, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base designed and tested one of its latest innovations: better-fitting Air Force maternity uniforms.

Time for change

Earlier this fall, the base published calls for volunteers who were willing to wear the new maternity service dress shirt. At the time, officials told Military.com that they were looking for around 30 to 50 pregnant airmen to participate in the wear test.

"The greater the number of participants the more accurate the results, due to the ability to fit many different body types and stages of pregnancy," said base spokesman Daryl Mayer.

The updated maternity uniform was designed with an eye towards improving the comfort, fit and functionality of Air Force uniforms. As such, the new shirt now features darts on the front and back for a more fitted appearance, and is also made of a stretchier material that boasts better stain resistance and more opacity.

Whether the shirt hits its target of providing enhanced comfort will be determined by the volunteers, who were asked to fill out questionnaires at the end of the experience.

"The feedback from the fit/wear participants will be utilized to make any final adjustments to the fit or design of the improved maternity shirt," said Mayer. "This participant feedback ensures that we have a final product that meets the user's needs."

A wave of potential updates

This new maternity shirt is just the latest installment in a number of uniform changes that the Air Force has recently implemented to meet the needs of pregnant troops and new mothers alike. Last November, pregnant airmen at Wright-Patt were testing a maternity airman battle uniform. The camouflage maternity uniform, which featured pants with a full-stretch panel and an adjusted chest fit for the blouse, was so comfortable, according to Air Force Capt. Mollie Eshel, that her co-workers didn't even notice she was pregnant until her 34th week.

Talk about a successful camo outfit!

Many storied or technologically-advanced developments have come out of Wright-Patt over the years, but updated uniforms for expectant mothers actually serve a rather valuable and unheralded purpose.

"Women suffer in silence on many of the uniforms that don't fit. And they've never fit," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein. "The amount of money that women are spending altering essentially a men's uniform to fit a female frame is unsatisfactory. So we're going to get at this."

Working with only a $1.7 million budget and 18 staff members, the relatively small uniform office headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is tasked with the order to "get at this." When you consider that the team is responsible for outfitting hundreds of thousands of Air Force personnel serving all over the globe – and above it – it's hard not to respect their service.

Thanksgiving is considered the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, and so far, it has succeeded in kicking off no less than three different unofficial retail holidays observed over a span of four days.

First there was Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, celebrated with massively popular "doorbuster deals," which enable companies to turn a profit and move from being "in the red" to "in the black." Then that gave way to Cyber Monday, in which e-commerce stores offered deep discounts to online shoppers. Feeling left out, mom-and-pop shops tried to lure customers away from big corporations by offering them Small Business Saturday specials, which occurred in between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Lastly, in 2012, the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation started #GivingTuesday, the one post-Thanksgiving holiday devoted to charity rather than consumerism.

This year, Giving Tuesday will fall on November 27. There are many deserving nonprofits to which you can donate your time or money, but if you would like to give back to those who have given the most, here are some great ways to support veterans and military families this holiday season. 

Homes For Our Troops

Homes For Our Troops is a private nonprofit devoted to building custom-made homes for injured post-9/11 veterans, many of whom suffer from partial or full paralysis and require specially designed homes to grant them full independence and mobility. This year, the organization is setting a #GivingTuesday fundraising goal of $150,000. You can help the nonprofit hit that goal by donating directly, and by sharing their #GivingTuesday video on social media channels like Facebook. And if you really want a concrete way to get involved, you can learn how to attend a build event and help welcome a family into their new, mortgage-free home.

Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund

Many soldiers carry home wounds that aren't physical. Fortunately, there are resources available to them as well, including the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which serves United States military personnel experiencing Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress. The IFHF builds world-class advanced treatment centers that provide servicemembers with the best available TBI and PTS care. If you decide to get involved, you can feel good knowing that 100 percent of of every dollar donated from the public goes directly to funding programs.

Armed Services YMCA

For over 150 years, the Armed Services YMCA has provided servicemembers and their families with a place to turn for everything from recreational events to housing and educational programs. Low to no-cost childcare, hospital assistance, counseling, emergency food and clothing assistance are among the services that this top-rated charity provides to military families. You can help out by donating or volunteering at one of the Armed Services YMCA's 34 branch and affiliate locations.

USO

Closely associated with comedian Bob Hope, who in 1997 was named the "first and only honorary veteran of the U.S. armed forces" by Congress for his decades of performing for the troops, the United Service Organizations is a nonprofit that provides live entertainment to Armed Forces members and their families. The comedy shows and concerts put on by the organization help lift the spirits of those who serve. And despite being congressionally-chartered, the USO is not a government agency, and so relies on donations from supporters.

Toys for Tots

While not a charity that necessarily benefits veterans or military families directly, Toys for Tots is a program that is run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks, Toys for Tots is dedicated to providing gifts to children whose families are struggling financially during the holiday season. All you need to give is a new, unwrapped toy, making this a fun and affordable way to contribute to a proud, 70-year-old military tradition.

Whether you have the skills that could help build a house for a wounded warrior, the funds that could help treat a veteran's physical or mental war injuries or simply a new toy that could help the Marines' mission to provide gifts to the underprivileged, there are many ways to contribute to the cause this Giving Tuesday.

The first Military Family Month was observed in 1993, with President Bill Clinton issuing a presidential proclamation that established National Military Families Recognition Day the following year. Since then, subsequent decrees and congressional resolutions have continued to designate November as Military Family Month.

As the name implies, it is a time for recognizing not just those who have served, but also the military families that make their own daily sacrifices, which range from frequently moving to new cities to managing a household solo while a spouse is deployed.

If you belong to a military family, hopefully you have received additional support and gratitude during past Novembers. You may also be in a unique position where you are familiar with one or more military families that are going through a particularly stressful time. You likely know better than most what they are going through and what would best help them, but if you are looking for creative ways to show you care during this month, here are some ways to thank servicemembers and their loved ones during National Military Family Month:

Volunteer your time and energy

Know someone who has a packed schedule? Sacrifice some of your time so that they can have more of their own. Something as simple as babysitting kids so that a military mom has a night to herself can be huge. You could also get a bit more involved by cooking meals for harried military families, offering to handle errands like grocery shopping or taking care of the yardwork.

Plant an anonymous care package

Perhaps you want your goodwill gesture to pack more of a surprise. Military.com recommends leaving an anonymous care package on the doorstep of a military family, ringing the doorbell and fleeing before your largesse is discovered. Maybe you decide to fill your box with fun little gifts for every member of the family, or maybe you choose to pamper one parent in particular with little indulgences and a day pass to a relaxing spa or sauna. Either way, a random and anonymous present arriving out of the blue will show a military family know that their service is appreciated.

Join them in their own efforts to give back

Military families are very familiar with the concept of service, and as such, many have their own charitable passion projects. You can share their care by volunteering alongside them at whatever service organization they hold dear, whether it involves serving Thanksgiving dinner at a food pantry or helping to save lives at a Red Cross location. Helping out kills two birds with one stone, as you get to perform an act of service while also showing a military family that you care about their interests.

Make them aware of the many benefits available to military families

One easy but effective way to help out is simply to direct a military family towards the many benefits and services that are available to them. Operation Kid Comfort provides free photo transfer quilts to the children of deployed servicemen and women, the YMCA's military outreach program grants eligible military families free Y membership and companies like Sears and Home Depot offer significant discounts and gift cards to those who serve. Every military family should be able to take advantage of at least some of these benefits, so be sure to spread the word this season.

Showing your appreciation during Military Family Month doesn't require grand gestures. Something as small as providing an ear to bend or shoulder to lean on can mean more to someone than you may realize. And you can also feel free to perform such everyday acts of kindness throughout the year, and not just during Military Family Month in November.

Veterans Day has likely birthed more grammatical errors than any other federal holiday. Despite being frequently written as "Veteran's Day" or "Veterans' Day," the Department of Veterans Affairs insists that there should be no apostrophe there to make the noun possessive, "because it is not a day that 'belongs' to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans."

Yet despite the fact that Veterans Day is meant to be observed by all Americans, a majority of them still confuse the date with Memorial Day.

Even if you are familiar with Veterans Day history, there's no better time for a refresher, as this year marks the 100th anniversary of the holiday's forebear, Armistice Day.

The history of Armistice Day

Armistice Day was born out of World War I, or "The Great War," as it was initially known. The global conflict lasted from 1914 to 1918, and pitted the Central Powers—Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire—against the Allies, or Entente Powers, consisting principally of France, Great Britain, Japan, Italy, Russia and the United States. The First World War mobilized over 70 million military personnel, 60 million of whom were European, and the massive scale led many to optimistically, yet wrongly, predict that it would be "the war to end all wars."

After 9 million military casualties, there was finally permanent quiet on the Western Front after an armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany on November 11, 1918. The cessation of hostilities officially took effect at 11:00 that morning, or "the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month."

Armistice Day commemorated this end to the fighting, and is observed every November 11th by many of the Allied nations. This year's celebration of peace and remembrance of sacrifice will mark the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day. Events are planned all over the world, and President Donald Trump will travel to Paris to join French President Emmanuel Macron in honoring the more than 116,000 Americans and nearly 1.4 million French troops who died in WWI.

The history of Veterans Day

In the United States, President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11, 1919, as the first commemoration of Armistice Day, which was originally intended to involve parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Congress made Armistice Day a legal holiday in 1938, declaring it "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace."

In 1947, a World War II veteran named Raymond Weeks organized a "National Veterans Day" in Birmingham, Alabama. His intention was to expand Armistice Day into a holiday that celebrates all veterans, not just those from World War I. This idea was later championed by U.S. Representative Edward Rees of Kansas, who proposed a bill that would officially change Armistice Day to Veterans Day. The bill was passed in 1954, and signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who later that year issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation," which read in part, "In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose."

This year, veterans and citizens alike should again unite to appreciate the service of all veterans, with special attention paid to the century that has passed since peace was achieved with an Armistice signed on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. 

 

If you’ve spent enough time in the military, you’re probably used to moving from one duty station to another—not to mention taking some extended trips overseas. But once you’ve moved on from your active duty military career and are finally getting to decide for yourself where to go, which location should you choose?

That’s the question a new report from Military Times attempted to answer. The magazine evaluated over 599 American cities based on: employment and population figures obtained from the 2016 Census; military installation locations documented in a Defense Department report; VA health and benefits information taken from the Veterans Affairs website; FBI crime reports; school ratings and area health data drawn from a variety of sources. After synthesizing all of that information, the publication came up with a list of the six best places for veterans to live.

The best big cities for veterans

Among the 83 large cities—defined as those with populations exceeding 250,000—that were examined, there were three cited as particular standouts.

Taking the top spot was Colorado Springs, Colorado, which was also just named “the most desirable place to live” by a 2018 U.S. News and World Report. While U.S. News praised the city’s easy access to mountain hiking and nearby resort skiing, Military Times cited the over 10,000 servicemembers and 53,000 veterans living there, as well as the large number of veteran service organizations present.

The sunny waterfront town of Virginia Beach, where veterans make up 17 percent of the population and earn more on average than nonveterans, was next on the list. Rounding out the top three was San Antonio, the historic home of the Alamo and the current home of Joint Base San Antonio. Last year, the populous Texas city actually trademarked itself as “Military City USA.”

The best medium-sized cities for veterans

Service members who don’t love the overwhelming feel of big cities or the slower pace of life in small towns may feel “just right” in the best cities for veterans with populations of at least 100,000 but fewer than 250,000.

Two of the top cities sit across the river from Washington, D.C. – Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia. The former boasts an unemployment rate for veterans and civilians below the national average, while the latter owes its spot to the Pentagon, the Iwo Jima Memorial and a fantastic area health rating.

Another mid-sized highlight is Olathe, Kansas, where veteran growth has outpaced overall growth by 17 percent to 5 percent, driven in part by the convenience of 16 nearby VA health centers.

The best small cities for veterans

With a population of 95,000, Portsmouth, Virginia, may be a small city, but it is located next to the world’s largest naval base, Naval Station Norfolk. It’s also near 11 Veterans Affairs facilities and 10 military installations, and on average, former servicemembers make nearly double the salaries of nonveterans.

The Baltimore suburb of Glen Burnie, Maryland, is another diamond in the rough. The town of 69,500 boasts 26 VA health facilities within 25 miles, and although the unemployment rate is 7 percent higher than the national average, veterans make almost $20,000 more a year than nonveterans do.

New Braunfels, Texas, completes the list, thanks largely to having some of the best-rated schools around. With a population under 80,000, available housing, a good economy and small-town charm to spare, this is a great place to raise a family.

Whether you are looking to settle down in a sleepy little town, experience the bright lights of the big city, or do anything in between, there are plenty of great locales ideally suited to veterans excited to start living their life after the military.