If the closest you got to acknowledging veterans yesterday was reposting an American flag on your Facebook and Twitter pages, perhaps it is time to find other ways of acknowledging those who served our country.

Veterans Day started as Armistice Day in 1919, when President Woodrow Wilson acknowledged the heroes of World War I on the anniversary of the war’s end.

Wilson’s resolution asked that officials display the American flag on every government building and invited Americans to “observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.”

By all intents and purposes, Beaufort County (and Facebook postings) fulfilled Wilson’s recommendations.

Service isn’t fulfilled in a single day. So, expressions of gratitude shouldn’t begin and end Nov. 11. Thank every veteran who crosses your path. Donate to charities that help veterans, active-duty personnel and their families.

The closer you get to a military installation, the more likely you will be to find businesses that offer military discounts. There are plenty in Beaufort County that do the same, but it is not by any means universal. Make it a point to patronize those that do have discounts and thank them for doing so.

Most importantly, make it a point to stay current ion veterans’ and military issues. Once military personnel return home, they should not have to fight uphill battles to find employment, adequate care or any of the freedoms they helped to safeguard.

Veterans Day was more than a nod to our military. It was a reminder to protect the interests of those who valiantly protected us.