Veterans Day honors living and deceased U.S. military veterans rather than specifically those killed in service.
The holiday recognizes anyone who served honorably in the United States Armed Forces. Its roots lie in Armistice Day, which commemorated the end of World War I, but Congress broadened the name in 1954 to honor veterans of all American wars and military eras.
Memorial Day has a different focus: it honors U.S. service members who died while serving. Armed Forces Day recognizes people currently serving in the military. These observances are related, but their purposes and dates are not interchangeable.
Veterans Day ceremonies commonly include speeches, parades, flag displays, wreath-laying, and moments of silence. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also operates national cemeteries and memorial programs, although Veterans Day itself is a federal holiday administered through the broader federal calendar.