At Operation Rubix, we celebrate the men and women of the Armed Forces. Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May. This year, Armed Forces Day takes place on May 18. The holiday was created by President Harry S. Truman as a way to pay tribute to the men and women who have served our nation.

When Armed Forces Day first began, there were separate celebrations for each branch of the military; the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. This format changed on August 21, 1949. Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson changed the format to one singular day that celebrates all branches. The first official Armed Forces Day took place on May 20, 1950. This day was celebrated with a march led by more than 10,000 veterans and troops in Washington D.C., as well as a parade in New York City with over 33,000 participants. B-36 Bombers also flew over state capitals to pay homage to the armed forces.

On Armed Forces Day, we also strive to educate people about the armed forces and how our military plays a role in our community. Armed Forces Day is not a federal holiday, meaning military installations are open to the public for anyone who wants to celebrate this day by absorbing some history.

An article published in the New York Post on May 17, 1952 sums up Armed Forces Day.

“It is our most earnest hope that those who are in positions of peril, that those who have made exceptional sacrifices, yes, and those who are afflicted with plain drudgery and boredom, may somehow know that we hold them in exceptional esteem. Perhaps if we are a little more conscious of our debt of honored affection they may be a little more aware of how much we think of them.”

At Operation Rubix, we strive to connect veterans and their families with mental health resources. To learn more about our services, feel free to email us at info@opertaionrubix.org or call us at 941-330-4240.