As Veterans Day approaches, the U.S. Small Business Administration says it's continuing to build on its programs for military veterans.

The SBA helps tens of thousands of veterans each year with small business financing, comprehensive business training and counseling and access to federal contracts.

“Around Veterans Day, our thoughts turn to the men and women who are currently serving in the Armed Forces, as well as to all veterans who have made sacrifices and served our country over the years,” stated SBA Administrator Karen Mills in a press release. “When you consider the leadership and management skills our veterans develop while on active and reserve duty, it’s no wonder we see so many of them choose the path of small business ownership.”

Nearly one in 10 small businesses nationwide are veteran-owned, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.  Collectively, these 2.4 million small businesses employ almost 6 million Americans and generate more than $1 trillion in receipts.  In the private sector workforce, veterans are 45 percent more likely than those with no active-duty military experience to be self-employed.

SBA supports veteran business owners through entrepreneurial training and mentoring, access to capital, and business development opportunities through government contracts.

For more information, visit www.sba.gov/vets  and www.sba.gov/reservists.

With Veterans Day coming up, businesses across the Triangle are offering freebies and discounts as a way of saying thanks to our veterans and active-duty military.

Take note: Many of the deals are valid on Sunday, Nov. 11, the traditional date for the holiday, while others are good on Monday, Nov. 12, which is this year's official holiday.

Grocery and drugstore discounts, restaurant freebies, discounts on home improvement supplies, free car washes and even free Krispy Kreme doughnuts are among the offers.

Here's a round up of Veterans Day promotions:

Here's a great freebie for active and retired military personnel and veterans.

Inns and  bed and breakfast locations across the United States and Canada are treating military folks (and a guest) to a free night's stay as a thank you for their service.

It's  the fourth year that the B&Bs and inns have offered the freebie, which coincides with Veterans Day, Sunday, Nov. 11.

Rooms are offered on a space available basis so now is the time to start planning. There are 216 B&Bs and inns currently participating but new locations continue to be added.

Click HERE to get more details on individual bed and breakfast offers and the requirements for each.

There's also a handy search engine that allows you to plug in a state or ZIP code to narrow your search.

Several downtown streets are closed to traffic well in advance of this morning's Veterans Day parade that goes up Fayetteville Street and circles the Capitol.

The parade starts at 9:30 a.m. on Fayetteville Street at Davie, goes north on Fayetteville, west on Morgan, north on Salisbury and east on Edenton, ending at Wilmington Street. It ends with a Capitol ceremony at 11 a.m.

Raleigh police have blocked several side streets that are not included on the parade route.

Friday is Veterans Day and local and national businesses are offering lots of special deals and freebies to salute our men and women in uniform, past and present.

There are discounts on groceries, clothes and home improvement supplies, free restaurant meals, free music downloads and even a free car wash.

Here's a round up of Veterans Day promotions:

Just in time for Veterans Day, companies supporting the Wounded Warrior Project  have released a set of more than 50 new printable coupons to call attention to the effort to help veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Go to believeinheroes.org to download and print the coupons. Many of them make for good deals at Harris Teeter Super Doubles. Click here to see those match-ups.

While you're on the Believe In Heroes site, please consider making a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project.

It's Veterans Day, and MTV offers the perfect way to get the young and the disengaged to understand why it's important to take note of those who serve.

"Return to Duty" (8 p.m. tonight) features Ryan Conklin, a 24-year-old Army vet from Gettysburg, PA, who was part of the network's "The Real World: Brooklyn."

He'd been in the Army for 3 and a half years and out for two, but at the end of the "Real World's" season, he got called to do a second tour in Iraq.