One of the largest populations of veterans in the state live in the counties surrounding Fort Bragg.
Fayetteville, N.C. — A small crowd gathered Thursday for a Veterans Day ceremony at Freedom Memorial Park in Fayetteville, located on Bragg Boulevard across from the Airborne & Special Operations Museum. The event featured a wreath laying ceremony, color guard performance and guest speakers. It followed the community’s larger celebration – a parade through downtown – that took place last weekend. Fort Bragg is the largest military base in the country by population, home to more than half a million active-duty soldiers, and 100,000 or more military retirees live in the surrounding area. Armistice Day was first celebrated on Nov.11,1919, which was the first anniversary of the end of World War I. In 1926, Congress passed a resolution for an annual observance. In 1938, Nov.11 became a national holiday. Veterans Day 2021: List of free meals & discounts In 1954, President Dwight D.