The U.S. Army Reserve took part in the Baltimore City Veterans Day Parade Nov. 10, which stretched from the Washington Monument to War Memorial Plaza.

“Simply saying, ‘Thank you for your service,’ goes a long way,” said Brig. Gen. Dan Hershkowitz, deputy commanding general of the Army Reserve’s 99th Readiness Division, during an interview with WJZ CBS TV.

Marching in the parade were Maj. Gen. Janeen Birckhead, The Adjutant General for the Maryland National Guard who served as the parade’s grand marshal, and Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott.

"We have to thank those folks who put their lives on the lines for us," Scott said. "All the freedoms and all the things we enjoy, we have to celebrate them. They are folks who put their lives at risk for all of us. We owe it all to them."

Veterans Day traces its roots back to Armistice Day, which marked the end of fighting along the Western Front in World War One on Nov. 11, 1918. In 1938, Congress made Armistice Day an official, annual national holiday. In 1954, the name was changed to Veterans Day.

“As we celebrate Veterans Day and recognize all those who have served our nation with honor and distinction, we are reminded that our people represent our military’s greatest strength, and taking care of them and ensuring they are ready to fight and win our nation’s wars is our top priority,” Hershkowitz said during a recent veteran recognition event.

“If you are a veteran who served your country, I want to personally say thank you for your commitment to keeping our country safe and for being part of the best military in the world,” he added.