HAMPTON, Va. — There are around 18 million living veterans in the United States today according to the Pew Research Center.
It's estimated that the number will drop down to just over 12 million by the year 2048, so it's important that the nation thanks them while it can.
On the historic lawn of the Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center Thursday, they did just that.
A kind of pre-Veterans Day ceremony featured keynote speaker, retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Phillip Brashear, son of the famed late "Men of Honor" Navy diver Carl Brashear.
"Our veterans are special people. They deserve all of our respect and all of our love and everything we can give them," he said.
Veterans that 13News Now talked to said they appreciate being remembered on Veterans Day.
"The men and women who've gone before have endured terrible suffering and hardship throughout the 20th and 21st centuries," said Army veteran Pete Fairchild.
"I think it's very important, you know. We would like to be recognized, let people know we did this thing and did that thing, you know," said Army veteran Webster Rose.
Walt Dannenberg, Acting Executive Director of the Hampton V.A. Medical Center, said: "I think a day like Veterans Day is incredibly important, not only to those who have served our country but all the individuals who live in this great country in recognizing that our freedoms and our liberties that we enjoy every single day would not be possible without the sacrifice of our veterans."
In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as the first commemoration of what was then called "Armistice Day."
In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation."