Everything you always wanted to know about Veterans Day

Q. Which is the correct spelling of Veterans Day?

a. "Veterans Day" b. "Veteran's Day"

c. "Veterans' Day"

A. Veterans Day (choice a, above).

Veterans Day does not include an apostrophe but does include an "s" at the end of "veterans" because it is not a day that "belongs" to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans.

Q. On what day of the week will Veterans Day be observed?

A. Veterans Day is always observed officially on November 11, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls. The Veterans Day National Ceremony, like most ceremonies around the nation, is held on Veterans Day itself. However, when Veterans Day falls on a weekday, many communities choose to hold Veterans Day parades or other celebrations on the weekend before or after November 11 so that more people can participate.

Q. Who decides if a government office or business closes or stays open on Veterans Day?

A. Federal government closings are established by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Generally, when a holiday falls on a non-workday -- Saturday or Sunday -- the federal government is closed on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday). A complete schedule of Federal Government closings can be found on the I n t e r n e t a t http://www.opm.gov/oca/work sch/index.htm.

Q. Why do some schools close and others remain in session on Veterans Day?

A. Because there is no legal requirement that schools close on Veterans Day, individual states or school districts are free to establish their own policies on school closings. Most schools that do not close for Veterans Day schedule assemblies or other activities to honor America's veterans on Veterans Day and throughout the week that includes Veterans Day.

Q. What is the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day?

A. Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. While those who died are also remembered on Veterans Day, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL those who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime. Q. Why are red poppies worn on Veterans Day, and where can I obtain them?

A. The wearing of poppies in honor of America's war dead is traditionally done on Memorial Day, not Veterans Day. The practice of wearing of poppies takes its origin from the poem "In Flanders Fields," written in 1915 by John McCrae. For information on how to obtain poppies for use on Memorial Day, contact a veterans service organization, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) or The American Legion, as a number of veterans organizations distribute poppies annually on Memorial Day.

Q. How can I get a Veterans Day poster?

A. Each September, the Department of Veterans Affairs distributes posters to schools, state governments, Veterans Day Regional Sites, the military services and veterans service organizations. We fulfill individual poster requests until our remaining inventory is exhausted. However, you can download or print your own poster in the size and resolution you want directly from the Veterans Day Poster Gallery. Click on the poster image, then choose from the selections offered.

Q. Can I get a Veterans Day Teacher's Guide?

A. The VA encourage teachers and others interested in obtaining Teacher's Guides to download the Portable Document File (PDF), available here or from the Veterans Day Home page. Please feel free to make as many additional copies as you need.