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By Amanda Greenwood
Associate News Editor
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Buildings across the United States will be illuminated green this week as communities prepare to mark Veterans Day.
Operation Green Light for Veterans is a nationwide initiative to show support for veterans and raise awareness around the resources available to them. For 2026, the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO) have invited the nation's 3,069 counties, parishes, and boroughs to light their buildings green from November 4 to November 11.
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NACo says that shining a green light is intended to let veterans know that they are "seen, appreciated, and supported." The organization adds that it chose green because the color is often associated with hope, renewal, and well-being. The phrase "green light" symbolizes moving forward.
The initiative has grown into a national movement, with hundreds of counties and national landmarks taking part over the years. Residents and businesses are also encouraged to take part; even simply changing a light bulb at the entrance of a home or business to a green bulb would show support.
How Is Operation Green Light Connected to Veterans Day?
Operation Green Light for Veterans takes place in the days leading up to and including Veterans Day, on Wednesday, November 11.
The initiative is about more than just a symbolic display. NACo says counties play an important role in connecting former service members with support. In 29 states and the District of Columbia, County Veterans Service Officers (CVSOs) help veterans and their families access essential services; these include health care, home loans, education, and help to find jobs.
Why Do We Celebrate Veterans Day?
Veterans Day honors and thanks Americans who have served in the U.S. military, including those who served during both wartime and peacetime.
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The holiday began as Armistice Day to celebrate the end of World War I. It initially focused on those who had served in World War I, but its purpose was broadened after World War II and the Korean War to recognize veterans of all wars.
In 1954, Congress amended the law establishing Armistice Day, replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans." The change officially made November 11 a day honoring American veterans of all wars.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) describes the holiday's purpose as honoring America's veterans for their "patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good."
Why Is Veterans Day on November 11?
The date can be traced directly back to the day the fighting ended in World War I.
Although the war formally ended with the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919, the fighting stopped seven months earlier. An armistice between the Allied nations and Germany took effect at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, November 11, 1918.
A year later, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11, 1919 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. Congress subsequently made November 11 a legal holiday in 1938.
The date briefly changed following the Uniform Holiday Bill of 1968, which moved several federal holidays to Mondays. The first Veterans Day under that system was observed on October 25, 1971.
Following widespread opposition and confusion over the change, President Gerald R. Ford signed legislation in 1975 restoring Veterans Day to November 11. It has remained on that date ever since.
Is Veterans Day a Federal Holiday?
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Yes. Veterans Day is a federal holiday and is observed every year on November 11, regardless of which day of the week the date falls on.
In 2026, Veterans Day falls on Wednesday, November 11, with Operation Green Light for Veterans running through the holiday as communities across the country illuminate buildings green in recognition and honor of those who served.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Federica Bindi and James Debens
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