Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Americans have a favorable opinion of the U.S. military, and 45% regard Veterans Day as one of the nation’s most important holidays. The military’s favorability rating is up eight points from a Rasmussen Reports survey for Veterans Day a year ago.

Just nine percent (9%) have an unfavorable view of the military, and 12% are undecided, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

One-out-of-three (34%) say they have close friends or relatives who have given their lives while serving in the U.S. military.

Only seven percent (7%) say Veterans Day is one of our least important holidays, with 46% rating it somewhere in between the least important and most important holidays.

Fifty-five percent (55%) of Republicans say Veterans Day is one of our most important holidays, but just 40% of Democrats and unaffiliated voters agree.

More women under age 40 (45%) consider the holiday to be important than men under 40 (18%). Twenty-two percent (22%) of men under 40 rate Veterans Day as one of our least important holidays.

Only 19% say they have served in the U.S. military, including one-third (33%) of men and six percent (6%) of women. Just 15% of Republicans, 18% of Democrats and 25% of unaffiliated voters say they have had military service.

Twenty-eight percent (28%) of African-Americans say they have been in the military, compared to 16% of whites.

Forty percent (40%) of men – including 52% of men under age 40 -- and 28% of women say they have had close friends or relatives who lost their lives in military service.

Sixty-five percent (65%) of blacks have close friends or relatives who were killed while serving in the military, compared to 29% of whites.

Ninety-six percent (96%) of Republicans have a favorable view of the U.S. military, as do 72% of unaffiliated voters and 69% of Democrats. Eighty-two percent (82%) of whites and 74% of blacks agree.

The older the voter, the more favorable their view of the military tends to be.

Forty-three percent (43%) say they plan to do something special on Veterans Day to honor those who have given their lives for our country, while 36% do not. Twenty-one percent (21%) are undecided.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of Republicans, 41% of Democrats and 33% of unaffiliated voters plan to do something special on the holiday. So do 43% of whites and 47% of African-Americans.

Pluralities of men over age 40 (46%) and women under 40 (48%) plan something special on Veterans Day in honor of those who have given their lives for our country.

Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (it’s free)… let us keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.

See survey questions and toplines. Crosstabs available for Premium Members only.