Veterans Day In Troy: How To Honor Military Personnel

TROY, MI — Although the post office and most banks will be closed in Troy on Thursday in observance of Veterans Day, there are several ways you can honor veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

• A Veterans Day Ceremony is at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, in front of Troy City Hall at Veterans Plaza, 500 W Big Beaver, Troy. The program includes Raising of Colors, rifle salute and Taps by the Troy Police Honor Guard, the laying of the Memorial Wreath at the Veterans Monument, and music by the Heritage Concert Band of Troy. The keynote speaker is Army Colonel and Troy Police Lieutenant Russel Harden. The public is invited to bring flowers, small flags or mementos to be placed in honor of a loved one or all veterans. For information, call 248-524-1147 or visit troymi.gov.
• White Chapel Memorial Park Cemetery in Troy will display more than 400 U.S. flags on the grounds of the cemetery, 621 W. Long Lake Road, Troy, weather permitting, whitechapelcemetery.com.

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Veterans Day, commemorated annually on Nov. 11, was first celebrated in 1919 to honor those who fought in World War I. It was initially called Armistice Day and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

The holiday’s origin is tied to the armistice, a temporary end of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany signed in France on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

It became Veterans Day in 1954, shortly following the end of the Korean War and less than a decade after World War II, after various veterans service organizations urged Congress to encompass veterans of all wars in their honor.

While some ceremonies, parades and services may be canceled or altered as the coronavirus pandemic continues, restaurants and other businesses will continue to show their appreciation for veterans and active-military members.

Applebee’s, Bob Evans and Chili’s Grill and Bar are among the national restaurant chains offering free or discounted meals for veterans on Nov. 11, and 7-Eleven is offering a free cup of coffee or Big Gulp.

Other places, such as Golden Corral and Eat'n Park, have offers extended throughout November.

Veterans Day is somewhat related to, and sometimes mistaken for, Memorial Day, the federal holiday on the final Monday of May that is dedicated to those who have died while serving the United States.