2024 Veterans Day Celebration
The State of Missouri welcomes you to our 2024 Veterans Day Celebration!
Friday, November 1, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Harry S Truman State Office Building – Jefferson City
4th Floor – Room 490/492
As part of this event, we will have exhibitors from the following organizations to provide information about the resources available to veterans:
- Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (Veterans Services)
- Department of Mental Health (Veterans Services)
- Missouri Veterans Commission
- Veterans Urban Farm
- K9s on The Front Line
- Missouri State Parks
- Columbia VET Center
The Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation will also be present at the event to promote the toy drive campaign. Donation boxes have been placed throughout the Harry S Truman State Office Building. The toy drive campaign will
conclude on Dec. 6.
In addition to the veteran resources, the celebration will also feature remarks by Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe, State Representative Dave Griffith, Director of Revenue Wayne Wallingford, and Executive Director Paul Kirchhoff of the Missouri Veterans Commission, a drill team performance, music from the 135 th Army Marching Band, and food trucks at the north side of the Missouri State Capitol.
The Missouri National Guard 135 th Army Band (35-piece ensemble) will perform at the conclusion of the ceremony on the 2nd floor atrium in HST.
We are proud to celebrate Veterans Day with our team members who have served in the military and we invite all veterans to wear something that signifies your service to our country, whether it’s your uniform, insignia, or commendations.
We look forward to seeing everyone as we celebrate our veterans!
Honored Guests
History of Veterans Day:
Memorial gestures dating back to 1921 were taking place all over the world where ceremonies were being held to honor fallen soldiers. Those fallen soldiers were being buried in each nation’s highest place of honor. These memorial gestures all took place on November 11, giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I fighting at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). This Day became known as “Armistice Day.”
The first celebration using the term “Veterans Day” occurred in 1947, in Birmingham, Alabama. A World War II veteran, by the name of Raymond Weeks, organized “National Veterans Day,” on November 11, which included a parade and a bunch of other festivities, to honor all veterans. U.S. Representative Edward Rees of Kansas proposed a bill that would change Armistice Day to Veterans Day. In 1954, Congress passed the bill that President Eisenhower signed proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day.
