ZIPS Car Wash has been honoring veterans and active military with free car washes on Veterans Day for over 10 years! A clean ride and shiny tires are nice, but we realize no act can repay what these brave Americans have sacrificed for our country.

We say thank you to each and every veteran. Defenders of our free land that is often seen as a place where dreams can come true with some hard work and dedication. And since not enough of us stay up to date on this major holiday, why not do a little Veterans Day trivia? 

No Jeopardy sound effects available - so just hum along.

Honorable Names and Dates

What was the original name for Veterans Day? The answer is Armistice Day. And it was made a legal holiday in 1938. But you knew that one, right? But why is it always on November 11th? Because the WWI Armistice between Allied forces and Germany occurred on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

What started World War I anyway? Doesn’t take much to stir up trouble, as this war began after the assassination of someone of little acclaim otherwise - Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria.

USA Warriors Count

Moving on to tougher trivia, because if you look up “tough” in Webster’s Dictionary you may see a photo of an American soldier. So, take a guess at how many veterans served during WWII…

If you said 16,112,566 - you are 100% correct. And here’s how many served during other wars according to the Department of Veterans Administration:

• American Revolution 217,000
• Civil War 2,213,363
• WWI 4,734,991
• Korean War 5,720,000
• Vietnam War 8,744,000
• Desert Shield/Desert Storm 2,225,000

*1,272,548 veterans have received compensation for PTSD as of 12/31/2021

Unique Veterans Day Facts

Now, could you guess which three states have the most veterans? Give up? Alaska, Maine, and Montana - according to a 2017 report. What about the reason for the declining number of veterans in modern times? Most experts point to the military draft ending in 1973.

We would make this the lightning round but we’re in no hurry. Women’s military numbers will double by 2045 - what percentage will female service members reach then? Not easy, right? The number jumps to 18%!

Please Remember Veterans Every Day

We’ll wrap up with one last eye-opening trivia fact about veterans in a moment. But remember that ZIPS Car Wash is giving free car washes to vets and active military again this Veterans Day. And we always want to be the go-to business when veterans and their family members are online searching for “car wash jobs near me.” We take great pride in honoring veterans, their families and their service and we’ve found they are a great fit for our growing team.

Ok…the biggest trivia question of all is why some veterans don’t receive the care they need. After all, 75% of Americans say they would increase spending for veterans’ benefits and services if they controlled the federal budget.

Maybe we just need to come together more often in support of these brave Americans. Stand up and make some noise where need be. That way veterans - 100% of them - will get the care and compassion they deserve.

(sources https://www.va.gov/vetdata/veteran_population.asp

https://parade.com/1093249/kelseypelzer/veterans-day-quotes/)