Armed Forces Day 2017

Armed Forces Day is just around the corner. Most, including me (if I’m being honest) are unaware of such holiday. So what exactly is Armed Forces Day? It’s a holiday created and led by former President Harry S. Truman in an effort to establish a single day for the nation to come together and thank our military personnel for their patriotic service in support of our country. This holiday replaced separate Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine branches from having their own day of honoring and thanking their servicemen. Furthermore, the single day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under the Department of Defense.

Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May and falls during Military Appreciate Month along with Memorial Day. May is a month filled with days to give thanks and honor the service members who protect our great nation and who have perished in the pursuit of our freedoms and independence. We owe more than just a few days in May to these brave and honorable people. The same people who leave their families and homes behind to carry out duties in places far away. So with great respect and gratitude, we pause, reflect, and give thanks for the many things we have and experience as a free country because of our Armed Forces. Thank you for all that you have done and all that you continue to do.