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Happy Veterans Day! Today is the day to celebrate military veterans, and many businesses and restaurants are doing just that with special offers of free meals and other discounts for veterans.
Veterans Day, which is celebrated on November 11, is a day to recognize U.S. military service members. In 2020, the federal holiday falls on a Wednesday.
Here’s what you need to know:
Applebee’s Veterans Day Deals Vary By Location in 2020
Applebee’s special Veterans Day deals vary by location this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic and local mandates. According to the Applebee’s website, veterans who are looking for the offers for Veterans Day 2020 should contact their neighborhood restaurant to get all the details.
“Thank you veterans and active duty military,” the website says. “At Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar, we are eternally grateful for the men and women who have served and sacrificed for our country. Contact your local Applebee’s to learn about any Veterans Day offerings in your neighborhood. Offers may vary based on local mandates and guidelines.”
According to Military.com, veterans can receive a free meal to celebrate the holiday.
“Veterans and active-duty military receive a free meal from a limited menu at participating Applebee’s on November 11. Dine-in only,” Military.com reported. “Contact your local Applebee’s to learn about Veterans Day offerings in your neighborhood. Offers may vary based on local mandates and guidelines. Visit the Applebee’s website for details.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs Released a Report on its Response to COVID-19
The Department of Veterans Affairs released a report on November 9, 2020, which detailed its response to the pandemic and the thousands of veterans diagnosed with COVID-19. According to the report, 67,905 veterans who were tested at the Department of Veterans Affairs facilities tested positive for COVID-19, as of November 6, and 14,168 of those were admitted to VA facilities for care. The VA conducted tests of 879,457 veterans and employees in the same time frame.
“As the nation’s largest integrated health care system, VA’s COVID-19 response has been robust and far-reaching. This includes 24 current and 75 completed Fourth Mission assignments involving more than 2,000 VA employees helping to support non-Veteran patients and non-VA health care systems,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “This report reflects VA’s agility throughout the pandemic to adapt based on lessons learned in order to continue providing safe, quality health care to Veterans as we continue to battle the pandemic.”
The report detailed the VA’s response to the pandemic, which involved hiring additional employees. They hired nearly 60,000 additional employees as of March 29.
“The COVID-19 Response Report provides an extensive look at VA’s complex COVID-19 response, including the department’s planning and preparation ahead of the pandemic; the initial crisis response; key COVID-19 policies and directives; interactions and interdependencies with federal and state agencies; and adaptations to health care operations,” the VA’s press release said. “It provides a forthright view of challenges and issues that VA needed to address in order to effectively respond to the pandemic, such as exchanging supplies, Personal Protective Equipment and deploying health care personnel across the enterprise to meet critical needs in certain areas.”
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