As our nation formally observes Veterans Day Monday, U.S. Army veteran and former Pentagon official Van Hipp is teaching his children and all Americans why this day is so special and what our veterans truly mean to us.

In an "open letter" on FoxNews.com, Hipp says Americans need to recognize that veterans fulfill the main purpose for which the federal government was created in the first place.

"Always remember that is the primary purpose of our government. And it is American men and women who have worn the uniform – our veterans – who have kept us safe and provided for that common defense," wrote Hipp.

But Hipp worries that an appreciation of our veterans is diminishing because fewer people have a clear grasp of what those men and women have done over more than two centuries to secure our liberties.  He says a survey published in USA Today earlier this year left him stunned.

"Twenty-two percent of millennials weren't sure of they knew what the Holocaust was and 67 percent had never even heard of Auschwitz.  When I read that, I said, 'We've got a problem,'" said Hipp.

Listen to the full podcast to hear more of the letter, and find out what Hipp believes is the most meaningful way we can honor our veterans on a daily basis.