Hammock’s SmallBusiness.com features a guide to resources for U.S. military veteran-owned small businesses. (Click on image to visit the guide.)

Ninety-seven years ago, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, “The War to End All Wars” came to a halt as the Allied powers and Germany declared an armistice—a break in the fighting. From 1919 to 1953, that day was celebrated as Armistice Day. In 1954, following the horrors of another World War and the bitter truce in Korea, Congress voted to change the name to Veterans Day to honor all who had served—and would serve—in our nation’s Armed Services.

The May-June Semper Fi magazine highlighted the last-surviving Medal of Honor recipient from the battle of Iwo Jima.

Today the WWII and Korea generations are passing rapidly away, the Vietnam veterans are aging, and those who fought in the Middle East often struggling with their memories. More than ever, America must remember the debt we who stayed home owe our military veterans. Not just on one day or for one week of the year, but every day.

Let us always remember that “A Veteran Is Someone Who, at one point, wrote a blank check made payable to ‘The United States of America’ for an amount of ‘up to and including their life'” so we may continue to enjoy our lives and our liberty.

Hammock salutes these irreplaceable men and women, and we are humbled by having had the opportunity to get to know and assist some of them through our work with the Marine Corps League.