Des Moines Sun

Veterans Day, observed annually on November 11, has its origins in Armistice Day, which was established as a national holiday in 1938 to honor those who served in World War I and to mark the end of fighting on November 11, 1918. In 1954, President Eisenhower signed legislation renaming the day as Veterans Day to recognize all veterans from every war.

Each year, the nation marks Veterans Day with ceremonies across local communities and a prominent event at Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The ceremony includes the playing of taps and the placement of a ceremonial wreath at 11 a.m., followed by a parade of colors by veterans’ organizations inside the Memorial Amphitheater.

The holiday encourages Americans to reflect on the patriotism and service of military members and their families. "Throughout our nation’s history, military families put their lives on hold while veterans put their lives on the line to preserve freedom and liberty at home and abroad. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their courage and commitment to answer the call to serve in uniform, from the American Revolutionary War to the 21st century," said Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. He also called on Iowans to share family stories about military service with younger generations as part of preserving national heritage: "Their experiences are part of their family history and our nation’s history, and ought to be handed down from one generation to the next."

Grassley noted his own family's ties to military service: "I’m proud of my family ties to military service, including my dad, brothers and grandson." He added that Iowa's veterans—including National Guard and Reserve members—share this tradition.

As Iowa’s senior U.S. Senator, Grassley highlighted his involvement with efforts like the Veterans History Project. "For nearly a decade, my office has participated in the Veterans History Project to collect video and audio recordings of Iowa veterans. Since Congress created the program 25 years ago, the Library of Congress serves as the permanent repository of the collection that today includes the stories from more than 100,000 veterans," he said. According to Grassley, his office has submitted 95 interviews documenting firsthand accounts from Iowa veterans.

Discussing policy initiatives aimed at supporting veterans' access to health care and other services, Grassley referred to ongoing oversight since passage of laws such as the VA MISSION Act in 2018. This law was designed to improve pathways for veterans seeking community health care options closer to home.

Grassley is currently cosponsoring legislation known as the ACCESS Act intended to address concerns raised by Iowa veterans about obtaining timely medical care through community providers. The proposed bill would set eligibility requirements for community care based on driving times—30 minutes for primary care appointments with a maximum wait time of 20 days; for specialty care, an average driving time of up to 60 minutes with appointments available within 28 days. It also seeks faster admission processes for mental health programs.

In addition, Grassley supports bipartisan efforts aimed at easing transition from military life back into civilian society as part of suicide prevention measures among veterans. One such bill honors two servicemembers who died by suicide after returning home from duty.

"As long as I’m serving Iowans in the U.S. Senate, I’ll do whatever I can to ensure our veterans are neither forsaken nor forgotten," Grassley said.