From the NFRW Armed Services Committee
By Mary Smart, CAPT USN Ret (HI)
National Armed Force Day is an annual event that is held on the third Saturday in May, concluding Armed Forces week when we honor individuals currently serving or having served in one of the branches of the United States of America’s armed forces - active duty, reserves, or national guard.
Defense Secretary Louis Johnson announced the first Armed Forces Day on August 31, 1949, to unify the Army, Navy, and Air Force individual days of celebration. The first Armed Forces Day was celebrated on May 20, 1950. In 1961 President John F. Kennedy established the day as an official holiday.
This year Armed Force Day is celebrated on May 20. Throughout May, various days have been set aside to show our appreciation for our military with the accolades they richly deserve. It is traditional for the White House to issue a proclamation on Armed Forces Day expressing the country’s immeasurable gratitude for service members and their families.