While some people view Memorial Day as the kick-off to summer celebrations, Memorial Day is so much more. It was designated as a day to remember and for saluting our American service members who died while serving in armed conflicts. Celebrated the last Monday in May, the day dates to shortly after the Civil War.

According to the website for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) created Decoration Day on May 5, 1868 – three years after the Civil War’s conclusion – as a time for those across the country to decorate the graves with floral arrangements. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared May 30^th as the date to observe Decoration Day so flowers would be in bloom across the country.

How Does Memorial Day Differ From Veterans Day?

Congress made Memorial Day an official holiday when they passed the National Holiday Act of 1971. Some people confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day, but they are two very different observations. Veterans Day is a federal holiday observed on November 11, which was set aside to honor everyone who has served in the military.

Veterans Day got its start as Armistice Day honoring World War I’s conclusion, which officially was November 11, 1918. It was 1954 after the U.S. had been through both World War II and the Korean War when Congress amended the Act of 1938 by removing the word “Armistice” at the urging of different veterans’ service organizations. The legislation was approved on June 1, 1954, they set aside November 11^th as a day to honor all American military veterans.

Thank You To Those Who Gave The Ultimate Sacrifice

Those of us here at Associated Training Services would like to thank all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to help protect our country and its freedoms. We also would like to thank the families of those who were willing to give their lives to our country.

Veterans have protected this country, and now, along with so many others, they are part of a countrywide effort to rebuild it, providing the infrastructure that the future of America will be powered by, and we are honored to be able to play a small part in that.

As both state and federal governments are focusing on infrastructure, and the need to invest significantly into rebuilding and modernizing existing infrastructure and building the new construction that will support us into the future, a career in construction has perhaps never offered so much potential.

In fact, there is so much support for construction, it is no wonder that so many are looking to retrain to build new careers in the industry. One of the largest groups doing that is our veterans, who are taking advantage of the various programs such as the GI Bill that give them the opportunity to learn new skills and build new careers. With such demand for construction skills, it should be no surprise that veterans are frequently turning to the construction industry and the various skills training that is on offer. Transitioning from the military can be a challenge, and having a stable, reliable career can be an important part of that process, and the construction industry has a lot to offer in that regard.

Here at ATS, we are extremely proud of the fact that we have helped over 2000 veterans retrain and forge new, lucrative careers for themselves as they adapt to civilian life. Through various funding and other assistance, programs veterans have taken part in our courses that deliver classroom coaching and on-site experience, enabling them to gain the skills and confidence to build careers to be proud of. We actively promote the programs that provide the funding veterans need for those skills, and in addition, we offer qualified veterans an additional incentive, covering the cost of their accommodation during any courses they take with us, our way of saying thanks for the sacrifices they have made on our behalf.

We also think that it is fitting for veterans who have already given so much for their country, and are retraining to be part of projects that will literally rebuild it. Infrastructure projects across America are reshaping towns and cities, and they will be the platform on which the future of this country is built on. That so many veterans are involved with these projects, leaving their mark on this country in another way, is a testament to their courage and work ethic, and something they, and all of us, should be immensely proud of.