Armed Forces Day: In honor of a legacy of defending liberty

Armed Forces Day, always the third Saturday in May notes the combined duty and mission of the branches of American military in defending our liberties.  Prior to 1949, each branch of the military was honored on separate days.  But in August of that year, all but one branch agreed to combine their honorary days into one.  The first year of Armed Forces Day, three branches of the military united leagues, the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Today, Armed Forces Day includes those three, plus, the Marine Corp and Coast Guard leagues.

When Harry S. Truman spoke of the first Armed Forces Day, conflagrations smothered the earth.  Most noted, and one of the major impetus for the show of unity and strength of our military were attacks by communist entities. One in particular stuck in America's craw—the Chinese Communist Government seized two buildings American purchased prior to that communist regime and owned outright at the time of confiscation.  Along with Red China, Austria, East Germany, Burmese, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Cuba and the Soviet Union were entangled in expanding communist efforts.  The Armed Forces Day intended to demonstrate the patriotism and unified strength of American military might despite the world's circumstances.

That first year, May 20, 1950, the theme way “Teamed for Defense”.  Each year the combined leagues chose a new theme.  This year, the themes are “Strong and Resilient” and “Prepared to meet any challenge”.  The combined themes suggest a focus and mission different from more than a half century ago.  Enemies were clearly visible then. 

Today, the enemy is transparent, elusive, and evolving.  The combined leagues’ challenge to be “strong and resilient" and, "prepared to meet any challenge” is indeed a daunting task.  Americans of all backgrounds surely must rise to salute a contingency that often does not know what enemy will surface at any given time. They are our country’s first line of defense.  Their vigilance and support of the country at their own peril cannot be ignored lest we lose the right to call ourselves Americans. In fact, they pass on a legacy they did not create. 

The pride and passion to defend the land of liberty came by the sacrifice of those very first defenders, the troops of the Revolutionary Army.   Scraps of clothing—if you can call it that—barely covered their war beaten bodies.  The soles of their feet were their shoes. They had none other.  Most came from impoverished families promised a salary, food, and clothing in exchange for defense of the rebellion.[1]  Most learned loyalty, American compassion, and undying faith in a fledgling country on the trail.  Many died of wounds. Many more died of exposure, starvation, and the darkest of plagues at the time, small pox.  In the end, the army persevered.  

What many including King George, and perhaps even the Colonists themselves, failed to realize is that a hundred fifty years of Salutary Neglect created, promoted, encouraged, and propagated a nation of fierce defenders of liberties. The military exemplifies the tradition, its nurture, and naturally American tendency in us all. It deserves our utmost allegiance and support. 

God bless America and her troops.

---

[1] There are numerous accounts of men and women who joined the Revolutionary Army against horrendous odds. The most complete journal of that experience is of Joseph Plumb Martin who recorded every campaign of his engagement from 1775-1783.  Martin, Ordinary Courage. Ed. Martin. Wiley-Blackwell. 2013