2011
Veteran’s Day
AASD
Einstein Middle School
11/11/2011
Name:____________________________________ Date:____________________ Hour:______
Veterans Day Study Sheet
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Directions:
1. Look at the questions in each section
2. As you read, underline the answers to the questions for that section
Study Tip #1: Use a different color of pencil, marker, or crayon for underlining an answer to
each question to easily look back and find which answers are for which question
Study Tip #2: After you’ve underlined all the answers, read back through the questions or
have a friend read them to you. Try to answer it without looking at what you’ve
underlined, but if you can’t, find the answer that you underlined in the reading. Go
through them all until you know the answer to each without having to look at what you’ve
underlined.
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Section 1: Veterans Day History
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Use the squares in front of each question to keep track of which color you use to underline the answer
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Questions for this section:
1. Veterans Day honors ______.
2. In ______, after World War II and the Korean War, Congress changed the holiday Armistice
Day to Veterans Day to honor those who served in all wars with U.S. involvement.
3. Veterans Day is observed in other countries as ______ Day.
4. Which president issued the first “Veterans Day Proclamation”
in 1954?
5. In 1865, president ______ said, “to care for him (any veteran)
who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and orphan.”
These words are imprinted on two metal plaques at the front of
the Veteran’s Affairs Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
6. How many stars were on the American flag when Veterans
Day became an official holiday in 1954?
The official motto of the Department of Veterans
7. Veterans Day honors which branches of the U.S. Military? Affairs:
“to care for him (any veteran) who shall have
8. What is the correct spelling of Veterans Day?
borne the battle and for his widow and orphan.”
9. The difference between Memorial Day and Veterans day is -President Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural
Address, 1865
that __________
Veterans Day didn’t officially exist in the United States until 1954
When created, Veterans Day replaced another military-related holiday
When Veterans Day was established, the U.S. only had 48 states (Alaska
didn’t become a state until 1959, and Hawaii not until 1960)
On June 1st, 1954, after enduring
service in World War II and the Korean
War, Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces
would officially have a national holiday
honoring their service, to be celebrated
every November 11th.
Prior to 1954, November 11th was
known as Armistice Day. Armistice
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signing the Veterans Day Day, meaning “truce” day, was celebrated
on November 11th as the day that World
st th
Proclamation, June 1 , 1954 which officially changed Nov. 11 from
Armistice Day to Veterans Day.
War I had ended, or when a “truce” was
established between nations in that war. However after World War II and the
Korean War, many Americans wanted a day that celebrated the service of all U.S.
Veterans, no matter when or in which branch of the military they had served.
In 1954, the 83rd U.S. Congress -- at the urging of Veterans service
organizations -- amended a 1938 Act that had created Armistice Day by striking
out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of
this legislation and a signature from President Dwight D. Eisenhower on June 1st,
1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars, still
living or not, and regardless of which branch they served in. Since then, Veterans
Day has been used to honor those who have honorably served in The U.S. Army,
Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard.
While many other countries chose to still honor Armistice Day on November
th
11 , some countries, including Great Britain also switched the day to remember
the service of all the branches of their armed forces. In Great Britain and other
countries that made this switch however, it is known as Remembrance Day rather
than Veterans Day. The name Veterans Day is unique to the holiday in the United
States.
Spelling of Veterans Day
While spelling “Veteran’s” with
an apostrophe isn’t grammatically
incorrect, the U.S. Government has
chosen “Veterans” as the official
spelling for the holiday of Veterans Day.
The reason for this is that Veterans Day
is not meant to be a day that “belongs”
to Veterans, but rather is a day that is
used to honor all Veterans. This
mistake is made frequently and can be seen on many calendars, cards, and other
products.
Memorial Day vs. Veterans Day: What’s the Difference?
Another common mistake related to Veterans Day is that people often confuse
Memorial Day with Veterans Day, or vice versa. While both Holidays honor
members of the Armed Forces who have passed away, only Veterans Day also
honors Veterans who are still living. Memorial Day is meant only to remember
and honor the sacrifices made by those service members who were killed in the
line of duty, not of those who are still living.
Section 2: Veteran’s Statistics
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Use the graphs and tables in this section to find your answers and fill in the blanks
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Total Pop Total Vet Service-Connected Vietnam War Vets WWII Vets
Pop Disability
U.S. 312.4 million 21.9 million 3.3 million 7.6 million 2.1 million
Wisconsin 5.7 million 417,700 52,013 141,400 37,300
Questions for this section:
1. According to the 2009 American Communities Report Table, there were ______ million
veterans in the U.S. in 2009.
2. In 2009, roughly 7.6 million, or 35%, of all living U.S. veterans served in the _______
war according to the 2009 American Communities Survey Table.
3. According to the 2009 American Communities Survey Table, there were roughly 3.3
million veterans living in the U.S. in 2009 with a ______, or a disability that began as a
result of an injury suffered during their service.
4. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs Table, there are currently around
______ veterans living in the state of Wisconsin.
5. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs graph above, what is the projected
number of U.S. Veterans that will be still living in 2036? ___________
6. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs graph above, what percentage of U.S.
Veterans is projected to be female by the year 2036? _______________
7. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs graph above, what percentage of U.S.
Veterans is projected to be female by the year 2036? __________________
8. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs graph above, what percentage of U.S.
Veterans is projected to be African American in 2036? __________________
9. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs graph above, what percentage of U.S.
Veterans is projected to be Hispanic in 2036? ____________________
10. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs graph above, what percentage of U.S.
Veterans is projected to be of a race other than White, African American, or Hispanic in
2036? _____________________
11. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs graphs, which “era” of veterans is likely
to have no living members by the year 2036? ___________________
Section 3: Branches of the U.S. Armed Forces
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Use the squares in front of each question to keep track of which color you use to underline the answer
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Questions in this section:
1. The first Army established in the U.S., The Continental Army, was formed in 1775 by
the continental congress to fight Great Britain in which war?
2. What current branch of the U.S. Armed Services was a part of the Army until
September, 1947?
3. Many people often confuse recruiting slogans used by this branch of the U.S. Armed
forces such as “Be All You Can Be” with their official motto, “This We’ll Defend”.
4. This branch of the U.S. military is the main ground force of the United States Military.
5. This branch of the U.S. military is the largest.
6. What reserve force supplies the Army with additional troops and resources in times of
need?
7. When National Guard troops are not being used for Federal military service, who
commands these troops?
8. Which two branches of the U.S. Armed Forces use the National Guard to supply them
with extra troops and resources when needed?
9. This branch of the military’s primary responsibility is to defend the right to travel and
trade freely on the world’s oceans as well as to defend the nation’s interests overseas.
10. Though it is often associated with the Latin phrase “Non sibi sed patriae” meaning
“Not self but country”, this branch of the military actually has no official motto.
11. Which branch of the U.S. Armed Forces had a base in Hawaii that was attacked by
Japan on December 7, 1941?
12. After Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 the U.S.
_________________ began a massive build-up that made this branch of the U.S. Armed
Services larger than the same branch from every other nation involved in the war
combined.
13. Which branch of the U.S. Armed Forces is led by a Commandant rather than a general?
14. Which branch of the U.S. Armed Forces is sometimes thought of as the “infantry of the
Navy” because of its “amphibious” operations?
15. Which branch of the U.S. Armed Forces is considered to be “elite” or the toughest
amongst all the branches. Hint: Members of this branch are sometimes referred to as
“leathernecks” because of their toughness.
16. Which branch of the U.S. Armed Forces is currently the smallest, and does generally
not participate in direct combat operations?
17. Which branch of the U.S. Armed Forces uses the Latin phrase “Semper Fidelis”,
meaning “Always Faithful” as their official motto?
18. Which branch of the U.S. Armed Forces is the “youngest”, or was formed most
recently?
19. How long does BCT, or Basic Combat Training take for an enlisted member of the
Army?
Often times, the U.S. Military is referred to simply as “the Army”.
However, saying this is incorrect because the Army is actually only one branch of
a much larger and more complex military system. In total, there are five main
branches of the U.S. Armed Forces including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines,
and Coast Guard.
The United States Army
Official Motto: “This We’ll Defend”
Established: June 14th, 1775
Size: 76,000 Officers, 401,000 enlisted active duty
Basic Training: 9 weeks
Originally founded as the Continental Army on
June 14th, 1775, the U.S. Army is the oldest and largest
branch of the U.S. Military. It was originally established to fight Great
Britain in the American Revolutionary War, and was actually disbanded
shortly after the United States won its independence, but was later
reestablished as the U.S. Army.
The Army’s main responsibility is to protect and defend the
country with ground troops, armor, and artillery. However prior 1947,
the Army was also responsible for defending the nation’s airspace with
the Army Air Corp, which would later become the U.S. Air Force.
Illustration of a
private in the
While the Army is the largest branch of the U.S. military, often in Continental Army,
times of war there are not enough soldiers/resources to meet its needs. In circa 1776
times such as this the Army may call upon “part time” service members
from either the Army Reserves or the Army National Guard. The Army
Reserves are Army members who supplement active duty forces in times of need,
and are commanded by the national Army itself. The Army National Guard
however, is commanded by the individual state in which they are based, where the
Governors of the states control them until they are needed for national service.
The United States Navy
Official Motto: None (Unofficial Motto: “Non
sibi sed patriae” meaning “not self but country”)
Established: October 13th, 1775
Size: 333, 642 active duty members
Basic Training: 8 weeks
Established shortly after the Continental
Army, The U.S. Navy was first used to combat
the historically dominant British Navy during the
Revolutionary War. Over time, the U.S. Navy
became one of the most powerful in the world.
The event that would spark that
build up, the attack by Japan on a
naval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on
December, 7th, 1941 would push the
U.S. to enter World War II. During
the war the U.S. Navy undertook a
huge building program that made it
larger than all the other combatant
nations' navies combined. It expanded
from a force of about 300,000 officers
and men in mid-1941 to more than
3,000,000 by war's end.
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. December 7th, 1941.
USS Maryland and capsized USS Oklahoma
Today, the Navy's primary mission is to maintain the freedom of the seas.
The Navy makes it possible for the United States to use the seas where and when
they need to. In addition, in times of conflict, the Navy helps to supplement Air
Force air power as well as to transport troops and equipment for all the branches.
The United States Marines
Official Motto: Semper Fidelis (“Always
Faithful”)
Established: November 10th, 1775
Size: 202,779 active duty members
Basic Training: 12 weeks
The United States Marines, world
renowned for being one of the toughest,
most elite regular fighting forces in the
world, were originally established on
November 10th, 1775 to support the new
Continental Navy. Eventually they would
become their own branch of the U.S. Armed
Forces, though they still operate through the
Department of the Navy.
The U.S. Marines, often called “leathernecks” for their toughness, is actually
one of the smallest branches of the U.S. Armed Forces in numbers, but often plays
an important role in combat operations. The Marines boast that they are “first to
fight”, and often are the “tip of the spear” in a U.S. military offensive.
The Marines are unique in that they
will perform operation in the air, at sea,
or on land, often going between two or
more in a single mission. Marines have
historically established “beach-heads”, or
an area where U.S. forces can setup and
then invade/expand operations. This type
of mission is what gives the Marines a
reputation for being “amphibious” or
working on both sea and the land.
A unique fact about the Marines is
that their commander is called a
Commandant, rather than a General.
The United States Air Force
Official Motto: “Aim High…Fly-Fight-Win!”
Established: September 18th, 1947
Size: 329,638 active duty members
Basic Training: 8 weeks
Originally part of the U.S. Army as the
Army Air Corps, the United States Air Force was first officially formed
September, 18th 1947, making the Air Force the “youngest” branch of the U.S.
Armed Forces. After major technological
advancements in air power during World
War II, the Army Air Corps was large and
important enough to become its own
branch.
During World War II, what would
become the U.S. Air Force began to play a
much larger role than it had in the past.
Rather than being only use for
P-39 “Airacobra”, circa 1941 reconnaissance and support, it was used for
direct combat.
Today, the Air Force carries out a variety of missions including combat,
reconnaissance, and the transport of troops and equipment.
F-16 “Fighting Falcon”
United States Coast Guard
Official Motto: Semper Paratus “Always Ready”
Established: August 4th, 1790
Size: 41,873 active duty members
Basic Training: 7 weeks
The only branch of the U.S. Armed Forces
that is not commanded through the Department of
Defense (it is commanded through the
Department of Homeland Security), the U.S.
Coast Guard was established August 4th, 1790.
It’s main responsibility then and still today is to defend, protect, and police the
coasts and waterways of the United States. During times of conflict however, the
Coast Guard functions as a part of the U.S. Navy and can perform combat
operations related to the defense of the nation’s waterways or coasts.
A U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue operation
While most military services are either at war or training for war, the Coast
Guard is deployed every day. Perhaps the best known function of the Coast Guard
is its search and rescue operations. Between 1997 and 2001 the U.S. Coast Guard
saved 4,009 lives on the nation’s coasts and waterways. The Coast Guard plays
important roles during times of emergency such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005
through search and rescue and the transport of people and supplies.
Section 4: Supporting our Veterans
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Use the squares in front of each question to keep track of which color you use to underline the answer-----
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Questions in this section:
1. What is the Department of Veterans Affairs?
2. What year was the construction of the National World War II Memorial completed?
3. Around how many U.S. veterans from WWII are dying each day?
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is a
government-run benefit system that provides
educational, financial, and medical benefits to those
who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The
benefits provided include disability compensation,
pension, education, home loans, life insurance,
vocational rehabilitation, survivors’ benefits, medical
benefits and burial benefits.
Veterans Memorials
Memorials provide Veterans not
only with an acknowledgement of their
service and sacrifices, but also allow
Veterans to revisit and reflect upon what
is often an important period in their
lives. Memorials can provide Veterans
with a place to connect with those that
may have been lost in conflicts, and to
keep the memory of those who have
been lost alive.
While there are many such
An Illustration of a Vietnam War Veteran visiting the Vietnam War Memorial
memorials that have been constructed in Washington, D.C.
throughout the country, such as the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C.,
not all memorials have been treated equally. The National World War II
Memorial in Washington, D.C. was not completed until 2004, after many of the
veterans from this war had passed away; never having a chance to see it. Also,
currently surviving veterans from WWII are estimated to be passing away at a rate
of approximately 1,000 per day. Volunteer programs such as the Honor Flight
Network are often the only way for those Veterans still surviving to have the
opportunity to see these memorials.
Section 5: Major U.S. Military Conflicts
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Use the squares in front of each question to keep track of which color you use to underline the answer
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Questions in this section:
1. Which war claimed the lives of the most U.S. soldiers?
2. What conflict was known as “The War to End All Wars”?
3. Which conflict began after a terrorist attack on the U.S. on September 11, 2001?
4. Which conflict that the U.S. was involved in lasted longer than any other until the
recent war in Afghanistan?
From its very beginnings, the United States has had a long history of military
conflict. From early fighting between Native Americans and the British Colonies,
to current conflicts overseas, the U.S. has almost
always had the need of a professional military.
Throughout its military history, the U.S. has been
involved in many major conflicts. The most costly in
terms of casualties though, was the American Civil
War. Because Americans were fighting Americans,
all of the casualties were from the United States. The
Civil War saw over 620,000 American lives lost.
Even after participating in both World Wars and
many others, the Civil War still remains the deadliest
in U.S. history.
When the United States reluctantly entered World War I, it did so partly
because the war was thought to be the “War to End All Wars”. Many were
convinced that a war so large and between so many nations would prevent any
future military conflict. Since then however, there have been many more military
conflicts including another World War.
The most recent military conflict in which the U.S. has been involved is the
War in Afghanistan. After the attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States
identified the “mastermind” of the attacks as Osama bin Laden, who was believed
to be protected by the government of Afghanistan. As a result, the United States
launched a military campaign in that country that continues today. Iraq was not
invaded until 2003. The War in Afghanistan is now the longest military conflict
in which the United States has been involved. As of November, 2011, the conflict
in Afghanistan will have lasted for at least 121 months, surpassing the length of the
Vietnam War which the U.S. was involved in for 103 months.
Sources
http://www.us cg.mil/ hq/cg5/cg534/s ar facts info/USCG_SAR_ Stats
http://surf.atlantic.net/features/veteransday.htm
http://www.alanskitchen.com/TRIVIA/Holidays/01-25/14-Holiday-Trivia_Veterans_Day.htm
http://www.armyhistory.org/ahf2.aspx?pgID=867
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_States
http://www.theholidayzone.com/veterans/military_trivia.htm
http://www.braingle.com/trivia/5995/us-air-force.html
http://www.absurdtrivia.com/quiz/001481/air-force-quiz/
http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/World/U-S-Coast-Guard-168880.html
http://www.uscg.mil/history/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_Marine_Corps
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb10-
ff21.html
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/generalinfo/a/military101_2.htm
http://www.history.navy.mil/trivia/trivia01.htm#anchor249090
http://www.history.com/topics/veterans-day-facts
http://www.goarmy.com/about/army-training.html
http://www.va.gov/vetdata/Veteran_Population.asp
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg534/sarfactsinfo/USCG_SAR_Stats.asp