COLUMBIA (WACH) - A wreath-laying ceremony in honor of Veterans Day was held at Fort Jackson Wednesday afternoon.

Former deputy commanding officer of Fort Jackson and current director of the SC Department of Motor Vehicles, Kevin Shwedo, laid a wreath in front of the Andrew Jackson Statue at Gate 1 to honor American veterans and was a guest speaker at the event.

Veterans Day is officially observed on November 11.

According to the U.S. Census, there were 21.5 million military veterans in the United States in 2011.