Courtesy/NPF

From The Team at the National Park Foundation (NPF):

Veterans Day is Friday, an opportunity to honor those who have fought and sacrificed to protect our nation.

This Thankful Thursday, we encourage you to pause to reflect on the sacrifices our veterans have made and to be truly thankful for those who have served.

This Veterans Day will be the first since Congress passed legislation granting free lifetime park passes to eligible veterans and Gold Star families, which can be obtained here. There are meaningful experiences waiting for veterans and all Americans in our parks this month and beyond!

Many of our national parks commemorate our veterans with monuments to ensure that their brave actions live on in our memories—like the African American Civil War Memorial and the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial at the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, DC.

Other parks preserve the hallowed grounds where veterans served and fought to preserve our country, on sites including the Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland and Manassas National Battlefield Park in Virginia.

On this day, we honor those who served our country and encourage you to visit a national park (in person or online) that honors our veterans.