I remember their being a huge deal made during my elementary and junior highschool years,all week long the lessons would be tailored to teaching us about the wars.
We would watch special videos and somtimes there would be a guest, a veteran or a Jewish holocaust survivor.
During junior highschool the jrotc would do a special flag service and ceremony in the gym.

Then on t.v. the only program on would be specials about wars etc... for the entire week.