This year’s Armed Forces Day is observed on Saturday, May 17.
According to the USO, the holiday is a time to recognize active military personnel as well as veteran service members.
During National Military Appreciation Month, the third Saturday in May, just after VE Day and before Memorial Day, is the annual date for the celebration.
What you need know about Armed Forces Day is provided here.
How does Armed Forces Day differ from other military holidays?
Armed Forces Day, Veterans Day, and Memorial Day differ in who is being honored.
While Memorial Day commemorates those who lost their lives in combat, Veterans Day honors those who have served in the military.
According to the USO, the purpose of the holiday is to raise public awareness of the kind of jobs that are performed and the role that the military plays in civilian life.
The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard are all covered by the holiday. The Coast Guard’s inclusion in peacetime may irritate some military personnel, however the National Security Act of 1947 defines the guard as part of the “Armed Forces.”
When did Armed Forces Day get its start?
On May 20, 1950, Armed Forces Day was first observed.
The nation was urged to “participate in exercises expressive of our recognition of the skill, gallantry, and uncompromising devotion to duty characteristic of the Armed Forces in the carrying out of their missions” when President Harry Truman issued the proclamation establishing the holiday earlier that year.
According to the USO, Louis Johnson, the then-secretary of defense, established the event on August 31, 1949, to take the place of specific service branch honor days.
In 1961, the observance was made a national holiday by President John F. Kennedy.
