Cartoon soldier illustrating a reading comprehension passage about the military and Veterans Day.

- Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11 to remember and thank people who served in the military during wartime.
- It was first created as Armistice Day in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson to mark the end of World War I, which ended on November 11, 1918.
- The name was officially changed to Veterans Day on June 1, 1954, to honor veterans of all wars, not just World War I.
- The military is a group of people armed to defend a country; its members are called the armed forces.
- Military jobs include fighting, driving vehicles, repairing weapons, flying aircraft, piloting ships, and repairing engines.
- People in the military usually wear uniforms, often in camouflage patterns for concealment in forests or deserts.
- People can join the military voluntarily or through a draft (conscription), which is mandatory service based on age and physical fitness.
- Former military personnel are called “veterans,” and some may be part of a military reserve force.
- A country’s military is divided into branches: Army (land), Navy (sea), Air Force (air), and Marines (ships and land combat).
- The Army uses soldiers, land vehicles, and helicopters; the Navy uses ships, boats, and sometimes planes; the Air Force uses airplanes; and the Marines serve on ships but also fight on land, working closely with the Navy.