Veterans Day

November 11, 2026 Veterans Day originally marked the armistice that ended World War I, The commemoration was renamed Veterans Day after veterans of WWI and the Korean War had joined the ranks of returning military personnel,Trump delivered a Veterans Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery, although he broke with the tradition of nonpartisan speeches, and also used the day to raise money, At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where visitors are expected to remain silent, Pete Hegseth was reprimanded by a Tomb Guard, In an article in ProPublica, Eric Umansky documented the dramatic cuts to the VA, the government agency that provides lifelong health and other benefits to veterans and eligible family members, The administration has cut staff, creating severe shortages, and driving veterans into the private sector, The changes contrast dramatically with the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1945 which transformed the lives of returning WWII military personnel, and was the precursor to the GI Bill, Originally conceived of as a defense against recession, it would become an agent for economic growth, The GI Bill would enable veterans to get vocational training or college degrees, and would help four million veterans buy homes, The GI Bill transformed America, moving millions of families into the middle class, although it favored white men, rarely providing benefits to Black and Brown veterans, Despite its faults, the GI Bill did more than any other law in US history to prove that investing in the American people is sound policy. To read this letter, click here: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify You can also find Heather at: YouTube Bluesky Instagram Facebook Threads TikTok Get full access to Letters from an American at heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/subscribe