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Veterans Day is Saturday, and this year because of where the holiday lies on the calendar, most people will be honoring the day on Friday.

According to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are about 314,000 veterans in Minnesota currently, of which about 234,000 served during wartime.

Vietnam War-era veterans account for the largest share of veterans in the state with about 106,000, followed closely by Gulf War veterans at just under 100,000. About 25,500 served in the Korean conflict, and only about 7,400 are from World War II.

In 2016, 7 percent of U.S. adults were veterans, down from 18 percent in 1980, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The share of the country’s population with military experience is declining — and is only expected to continue to decline in the future.

Though the percentage of U.S. adults with military service is going down, the sacrifice these men and women made has not lessened. We must take advantage of opportunities to thank them and recognize them for their service.

Honoring veterans can be as simple as saying thank you when you see someone out and about with a hat or jacket on that shows their military service. It could also mean supporting our veterans organizations.

Remember, the sacrifice they made serving our country often brings long-lasting effects — some of which are felt daily. There are many who need our support and who deserve our thanks.