National Day of the Deployed

National Day of the Deployed is on October 26 in the United States. This is an important date on which we honor the servicemen who protect state security, as well as their families, who daily bear the hardships of parting with their loved ones during military deployment.

History

National Day of the Deployed was proposed in 2006 by Shelle Michaels Aberle, who reached out to the Governor of North Dakota to set a date for the celebration of women and men serving in the military. The idea was instantly supported by the authorities and ordinary people alike. October 26 was chosen to commemorate the birthday of Aberle’s cousin who had participated in the Iraq operation. In 2011, the holiday became official and was by all 50 US states.

No matter how long the deployment lasts, both the deployed servicemen and their families are counting the hours until they can reunite. It is important to recognize that the hardships of service are felt much more strongly by those who are far away.

Interesting Facts

• 12% of the military are deployed outside of the United States.
• Of the 45 US presidents, 32 served in the military.
• The army is the second largest employer in the US.
• About 600 billion dollars are spent annually on military spending.
• Women make up 16.5% of the total military.

How to Take Part

There are many ways to show your support for the deployed servicemen and their families:

• Donate to organizations that provide assistance to the deployed servicemen and their families.
• Send packages with toiletries, snacks, canned food, baseball caps, medical supplies, etc., to the deployed servicemen and their families.
• Provide assistance to families of deployed servicemen with repairs, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.
• Simply say “thank you” to everyone who is protecting you right now!

When is National Day of the Deployed in 2024?

National Day of the Deployed is observed on October 26 each year.

Observations