“Military Members are Honored on Armed Forces Day” — MRFF Board Member John Compere explains the history and importance of Armed Forces Day, a day to salute the men and women currently serving in our Armed Forces
JohnCompere_FlagBG_1200x628
“ARMED FORCES DAY” is our annual day of national recognition for the men and women currently serving in the active, reserve and national guard components of the United States Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard and Space Force.
US Armed Forces Day is the 3rd Saturday in May (May 16th this year) and traditionally concludes Armed Forces week. May is also designated as Military Appreciation Month by the United States Congress.
There were separate observances for each of the military branches originally. The unification of our Armed Forces under the Department of Defense occurred in 1949. President Harry Truman, a decorated World War I veteran, led the effort establishing a special day of appreciation for all military men and women currently serving, their families and the communities supporting them. The first official Armed Forces Day was held on May 20, 1950.
The importance of Armed Forces Day should be evident to all patriotic Americans because our military members deserve to be recognized and respected for their loyal service to this country. It is always important that we acknowledge, appreciate and applaud them. It is also a reminder of our military’s significance and the critical role it plays in our nation’s independence, freedom, democracy, security and survival.
Today, there are over 1.3 million active duty military members and approximately 790,000 reserve and guard military members. Many are deployed worldwide in foreign countries including the Middle East during the current war in Iran. Our nation is also served in times of war by the Merchant Marine that supports the Navy by transporting military personnel and equipment.
Every Armed Forces member, upon entering the military service, takes the sworn loyalty oath to support, defend and bear true faith and allegiance to our United States Constitution. It is the affirmation we are one nation under our Constitution and it is the Constitution in which we must trust. We were the first nation to be independently established by and for “We the People” (Constitution Preamble)with no acknowledgment in our secular Constitution of any other authority (emperor, monarch, dictator, deity, religion, scripture, etc).
Armed Forces Day for recognizing those currently serving should not be confused with Memorial Day (the last Monday in May) for remembering those who sacrificed their lives in the military service of this country nor Veterans Day (every November 11th) for respecting those men and women living or dead who honorably served this nation in the military for any length of time and are no longer serving.
We commemorate three distinct categories of military service with three different national observances. Armed Forces Day is for those still serving in their uniform, Memorial Day is for those who did not make it out of their uniform and Veterans Day is for those who have hung up their uniform.
Our military services also have their own birthdays or origination dates (Army – June 14, Coast Guard – August 4, Air Force – September 18, Navy – October 13, Marine Corps – November 10, National Guard – December 13, Space Force – December 20).
As patriotic Americans, we extend genuine gratitude to all of our military members currently serving this country especially in these troubled times of international conflict including the current war in Iran.
John Compere
Brigadier General, US Army (Retired)
Disabled American Veteran (Vietnam Era)
Board Member, Military Religious Freedom Foundation
Texas rancher
Thank you John for this lovely write up. Because of your posts I add all the holidays mentioned in my own calendar. I may not be able to attend any ceremonies in public but I can do what I do privately.
Grateful.
I’ve been patient, waiting for the Old soldier to prove they are a person of honor but instead they just proved they’re a human.
I don’t trust humans, I trust people. There is a reason I live by most of my favorite people are not human (dogs, I’m talking about doggos. Had to add that due to the release of the alien files. LOL)
Lots of disrespect towards our military this week including the director of the FBI scuba diving in HI. It’s where he was splish splashing around and I’m so angry I can only dance around the topic. Also livid at the prayer display on the National Lawn where I was assured the USA is a Christian Nation and that the Founding Fathers were Christian Nationalists.
Hey, that’s why we’ve not heard from the old fart, he was in DC. Very important time in his life, dontchaknow?
Hey lady for your information this week I am going to be telling a group of school kids about Memorial Day. I gave a Desert Storm memorial plaque to my old National Guard Armory and I delivered over three hundred dollars in gifts to a VA hospital. I do more for veterans then you ever will and I have forgotten more about honor then you will ever know so shut up.
Well there you are Old soldier, three days late and a dollar short.
You are telling me I’m not allowed to exercise my First Amendment rights? You, who “celebrates” the death of our service critters but won’t celebrate those who are still here or those who do necessary work to support said service critters? I believe your priorities and understanding of how the Constitution works needs some review, just saying.
I call you out because your hypocrisy is displayed out in the open every time you comment and I will continue to do so as long as you disrespect both this site and those who host it. The work done here is a lifeline to many, a lifeline you have refused to those who don’t follow your extreme dogma and rhetoric.
Honor? As the metaphor goes, a hit dog will make noise and here you are, making noise. I must have struck a nerve with you. Your conscience biting you in tender spots old soldier? You’ve proven you know how to spell the word honor, how about you prove you know it’s meaning too?