Next Tuesday will mark the sixth consecutive Veteran’s Day as a nation at war, with some 140,000 soldiers still deployed overseas.

President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day in 1919.

Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later in 1926 requesting the president issue another proclamation to observe Nov. 11 with appropriate ceremonies.

The act made Nov. 11 a legal holiday: "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day."

Congress amended the act in 1954 replacing "Armistice" with "Veterans" and it has been known as Veterans Day since.

While Memorial Day is a day to remember and honor soldiers who died in service to our country, Veterans Day is the day to thank and honor all those who served in the military - in war or peacetime.

According to the 2000 United States Census, there were more than 26 million living veterans with 272,217 in New Jersey alone. Of that, 29,357 live in Passaic County. That’s eight percent of the county population.

It really doesn’t take much to let these brave men and women know we care and support them. There are many ways to say thanks and lend a helping hand.

Clifton will hold its annual Veteran’s Day Parade on Sunday, Nov. 9 beginning at Main and Sylvan avenues and down to Main Memorial Park beginning at 2 p.m. That’s a great place to start honoring America’s veterans.

Go to www.thesoldiersfamily.com to register for a program where you exchange mail with a soldier, or go to other sites that facilitate public support for soldiers, current and former, include:

Adopt a platoon at http://adoptaplatoon.org/new/;

Send some e-mail support at www.emailourmilitary.com;

Donate funds to assist paralyzed veteran at www.pva.org;

Send a care package to soldiers via www.treatanysoldier.com or www.operationmilitarypride.org.

Find FAQs about solider support at www.anysoldier.com/FAQ.cfm/.

The least we can do is thank these individuals for their sacrifices for our country.