North Carolina is taking a day to recognize the estimated 700,000-plus veterans living in the state.
American Legion branches around North Carolina are honoring local veterans today after parades in Raleigh and Fayetteville over the weekend. N.C. Central University is among those that have invited veterans to speak at their events today.
Ann Jones of Fayetteville Technical Community College says the school is hosting its own Veterans Day ceremony Monday morning. She says veterans who take classes there use their experience to help fellow students.
"I think they look to them for the leadership and guidance," Jones says.
"Because I see a lot of mentoring, and a lot of times it's a non-military affiliated student that develops that relationship with a transitioned military person. And you can see them giving them that maturity that they don't often get."
The school has about 3,000 enrolled veterans. Many study there while serving or after transitioning from their base in Fort Bragg.
Frank Stancil of the American Legion Department of North Carolina is also speaking about veterans at an event in Jacksonville.
"They're all around us. They're bakers, firemen, police officers, everyday Joes, and they're just heroes, every one of them," he says.