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16 Inspiring Quotes for Veterans Day

For Veterans Day, we celebrate the attributes that we most admire in those who those serve: Courage. Honor. Sacrifice. Selflessness.

Veterans Day is the time for all of us to show our appreciation for the military men and women who have served our country. Reading and sharing these inspiring Veterans Day quotes can be a great place to start.

History of Veterans Day

Veterans Day, originally called Armistice Day, started in 1919 on the one-year anniversary of the end of World War I. The tradition continued into 1921, when the United States and others around the world interred burials for unidentified soldiers who died during the war. It was eventually made a national holiday in 1938 and then renamed “Veterans Day” in 1954, so the date could honor all veterans from every U.S. war.

Nowadays people spend the day at military parades, visiting military cemeteries or memorials, and thanking the veterans in their lives through flowers or cards, or sharing inspirational Veterans Day quotes.

When is Veterans Day?

Veterans Day always falls on November 11th. Veterans Day in 2022 will fall on Friday, November 11th. In 2023 it will fall on Saturday, November 11th. In 2024 it will fall on Monday, November 11th.

What is the Symbol for Veterans Day?

The poppy flower, or the corn poppy, is an important symbol for Veterans Day. Its significance originated from a poem written by John McCrae, a Canadian surgeon who served with the Allies. After a particularly lethal battle (in which he lost one of his friends) McCrea saw something that stayed with him: vibrant poppy flowers were pushing their way up throughout the devastated and desolate battlefield. The scene inspired McCrae to write the poem, In Flanders Fields. It is from the point of view of fallen soldiers and calls on others to remember those who died. The short poem is often read aloud at Veterans Day services.

READ MORE: 5 Prayers for Veterans

Inspiring Veterans Day Quotes:

Soldiers saluting with a veterans day quote by General Omar Bradley

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Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared to death—Gen. Omar Bradley


A person leaping on a cliff with a veteran day quotes by Billy Graham

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Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.—Rev. Billy Graham

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The American flag with a veterans day quotes by Bob Dylan

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A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.—Bob Dylan


Jets flying through the sky with a veterans day quote by Christopher Reeve

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A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.—Christopher Reeve


A quote graphic with a veterans day quote by Eleanor Roosevelt

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Women are like teabags. We don’t know our true strength until we are in hot water.—Eleanor Roosevelt


A bird flying through the sky at sunset with a veterans day quote by Ernest Hemingway

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The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.—Ernest Hemingway


Clouds in the sky with a veterans day quote by George F. Kennan

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Heroism is endurance for one moment more.—George F. Kennan

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American stars over a blue background with a veterans day quote by Helen Keller

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Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.—Helen Keller


A veteran holding an American flag with a quote by Joseph Campbell

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A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.—Joseph Campbell


An American flag with a veterans day quote by Khalil Gibran

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Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.—Khalil Gibran


A rocky landscape with a veterans day quote from Nelson Mandela

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I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.—Nelson Mandela


An American eagle graphic with a veterans day quote by Salma Hayek

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What is important is to believe in something so strongly that you’re never discourage.—Salma Hayek

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A man sitting on a rocky landscape with a veterans day quote by Thomas Merton

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Perhaps I am stronger than I think.—Thomas Merton


A plant in a vase on a chair with a veterans day quote by Walt Kelly

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Every burden is a blessing.—Walt Kelly


A green and black stripe graphic with a veterans day quote by Winston Churchill

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This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure.—Winston Churchill


A blue and white graphic with a veterans day quote by Norman Vincent Peale

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The best thing you have to give is yourself.—Norman Vincent Peale

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