Armed Forces Day 2013
As everyone has been telling me in the comments and emails, today is Armed Forces Day, and I’m sure you all join me in supporting the soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors who are currently doing the job many of us wish we could continue doing, those who are carrying the baton of freedom and security that we passed on to them. They’re doing a wonderful job and we approve.
On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department — the Department of Defense. Each of the military leagues and orders was asked to drop sponsorship of its specific service day in order to celebrate the newly announced Armed Forces Day. The Army, Navy and Air Force leagues adopted the newly formed day. The Marine Corps League declined to drop support for Marine Corps Day but supports Armed Forces Day, too.
In a speech announcing the formation of the day, President Truman “praised the work of the military services at home and across the seas” and said, “it is vital to the security of the nation and to the establishment of a desirable peace.” In an excerpt from the Presidential Proclamation of Feb. 27, 1950, Mr. Truman stated:
“Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20, 1950, marks the first combined demonstration by America’s defense team of its progress, under the National Security Act, towards the goal of readiness for any eventuality. It is the first parade of preparedness by the unified forces of our land, sea, and air defense”.
The theme of the first Armed Forces Day was “Teamed for Defense.” It was chosen as a means of expressing the unification of all the military forces under a single department of the government. Although this was the theme for the day, there were several other purposes for holding Armed Forces Day. It was a type of “educational program for civilians,” one in which there would be an increased awareness of the Armed Forces. It was designed to expand public understanding of what type of job is performed and the role of the military in civilian life. It was a day for the military to show “state-of- the-art” equipment to the civilian population they were protecting. And it was a day to honor and acknowledge the people of the Armed Forces of the United States.
Category: Support the troops
I thank you, all my brothers, for your service to our country! No matter the public at large’s memory (or lack there of), we remember and honor one another and that is good enough for me.
We also, through sites like TAH, try to keep the real vets in our gratitude and keep the POS in Poser.
Thank you again vets for giving part or all of your lives to our nation. God Bless you and your families!
Delurking to say Thank You to all past and present military. Stay safe and come home!
Thank you for reminding me to put that Department of Defense “ARMED FORCES DAY 2013” official poster on my own personal web site, “OUR ETERNAL STRUGGLE”.
Nice not to be on the tail end of this tread, gives me a chance to tell each of you thanks for not only understanding the problem some of us KWVA members have been going through in the pass months, beleive me. we’re going to make it one way or the other, a my other thanks go out also for your service, and I’am sure many of you have gone through hell during your service time, but most importain lets just say a little prayer for the familys of those guys that never made it back, these guys are the real heros. A sincere and Joyfull Armed Forces Day to you all, and God Bless our troops.
Sam as always— (Where the Tall Corn Grows)
“The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department — the Department of Defense. Each of the military leagues and orders was asked to drop sponsorship of its specific service day in order to celebrate the newly announced Armed Forces Day. The Army, Navy and Air Force leagues adopted the newly formed day. The Marine Corps League declined to drop support for Marine Corps Day but supports Armed Forces Day, too.”
AH-HA ! ! !
NOW, I know why, when I was a soldier in the United States Army, I don’t remember ever being taught about the Army’s birthday and/or observing any celebration.
I never celebrated the Army’s birthday until I was a civilian, and did it because of the example being set by veterans of the United states Marine Corps.
I always wondered about that?
Nowadays, of course, the Army does officially celebrate the Army’s birthday, for I’ve been fortunate enough to have attended two or three Army birthday celebrations at the Pentagon, and at one of those, I was given a commemorative coin.
My thanks to all who came before me, with me and after me.
Here’s a good reason to say “Thank you”.
http://www.today.com/news/town-throws-dream-wedding-triple-amputee-marine-1C9975049/
How is it that I’ve never heard of armed forces day before, but I’m hearing about it from multiple sources this year? My crazy mother even sent me a card about it, and when I asked the wife what the heck it was for, she looked at me like I was some kind of stupid. Obviously I actually am some kind of stupid, but where were the cards before when I was actually *in* the military?
So essentially veterans day except current hooyahs get to show off their big guns, but don’t because guns are scary and we must think of the children.
Happy Armed Forces Day!