Join in Celebrating Our Military Members in May!

Every May, Americans celebrate Memorial Day in recognition of our military members who have given the ultimate sacrifice while protecting our freedom.

Yet many people may not realize that there is a lot more than just Memorial Day happening in the month of May.

Starting on the 1st, May brings with it an entire month of appreciation events for our military, which is why it has been dubbed Military Appreciation Month.

Military Appreciation Day

While Military Appreciation Day is not an official U.S. military holiday, many towns and cities do celebrate it by announcing a local day of recognition.

These days frequently include parades, picnics, and other community-wide events to acknowledge and highlight local military members and their families.

They are also the perfect time for anyone close to living history museums to support those exhibits and learn more about America’s military history by paying a visit.

Military Spouse Appreciation Day

Every year, the Friday in May before Mother’s Day is dedicated as Military Spouse Appreciation Day, a day to acknowledge the husbands, wives, and partners who do so much by encouraging their military spouses.

Being the spouse of an active military member can be difficult, especially during active duty deployment when so many military spouses take care of kids and homes and lend emotional and moral support until military members get home.

The true cornerstone of every military family, military spouses definitely deserve recognition, too!

Armed Forces Day

The third Saturday of May is a perfect day to visit a military history museum as Armed Forces Day celebrates the might of the American armed forces on one special day.

A combined observance bringing the Army, Navy, and Air Force together for one grand celebration, the first Armed Forces Day was celebrated on May 20, 1950, when President Truman brought three individual holidays under the same day to recognize all three defense teams and show off their readiness to the American public.

Although it is not a federal holiday and normal businesses operating on Saturdays are usually open, many communities commemorate the day with ceremonies, local parades, and other military-themed events.

Memorial Day

A day of remembrance for all fallen military members, Memorial Day is a Federal holiday that happens on the last Monday of May.

Originally celebrated as Decoration Day after the Civil War, it was a day when friends and families would visit the graves of their deceased military relatives and decorate their graves in honor and thanks.

Since 1971, it has been known as Memorial Day, a holiday that still carries the same important meaning.

Memorial Day is often remembered by visiting the graves of loved ones as well as with parades, celebrations, speeches, and other military-themed events.