Perry Willis has a relevant post over at Zero Aggression Project noting that what is now designated as “Veterans Day” originated as commemoration of the end of the “Great War” (subsequently known as World War I). It was intended not to honor those who did time in the military, but rather to remember how wars are usually started by the political class to further their own interests. Wikipedia reminds us that the word “veteran” means “a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field,” which of course includes a lot of us who never participated in the military. He has a suggestion for renaming the holiday again, too, which I doubt will ever be enacted by any governmental bodies.
Willis notes that “Yes, Veterans Day also includes a solemn remembrance of all the young lives lost in past wars…” but he doesn’t mention that the U S already has another holiday for that.