As a member of the military, you understand the necessity of deployment, as well as the sacrifice it involves. As a way to honor the men and women who have been or will be deployed, the National Day of the Deployed is observed on October 26.
The history
National Day of the Deployed was founded in 2006 by Shelle Michaels Aberle who petitioned then-North Dakota Governor John Hoeven to support a day that would recognize deployed military personnel and their families. Governor Hoeven declared a formal proclamation for the day and by 2012, all 50 states began to observe National Day of the Deployed. The date October 26 is the birthday of Aberle’s cousin, LTC David Hosna, who had been deployed to Iraq from Kaiserslautern, Germany.
John Hoeven said the following about this national day of honor:
“Our U.S. service men and women currently deployed, along with their loved ones, make untold sacrifices as they serve our nation. A national Day of the Deployed pays tribute to their commitment to our country and their work to protect our freedoms. We want to ensure that our military members and their loved ones know of our appreciation and support before, during and after their service.”
What you can do to honor deployed service members
Approximately 170,000 active duty U.S. military personnel are serving outside of the United States. If you would like to show your appreciation to America’s deployed military this National Day of the Deployed, here are some ideas to get you started:
- Visit someone who has a deployed family member and offer them a meal or baked goodies, a helping hand with chores, or a simple card or note to let them know that you are thinking about them.
- Write a letter to a deployed soldier. The organization Soldiers’ Angels, which was involved in the establishment of National Day of the Deployed, offers a variety of support services to deployed military. The organization also has a team of volunteers who write letters to heroes who are stationed abroad. Visit Soldiers’ Angels to learn more about how you can get involved.
- Support organizations that support our deployed troops. In addition to Soldiers’ Angels, there are many other groups that are dedicated to boosting the morale of soldiers serving overseas. Here are a few others:
- Support Our Troops® – Sends care packages to deployed service members worldwide.
- Operation Gratitude – Fill or donate a care package or request a care package for a deployed troop.
- Blue Star Families – Get involved with this organization that helps military families across the country.
- Post a message of gratitude on social media with the hashtag, #DayOfTheDeployed
The Omni team would like to express our gratitude to all the deployed military who bravely serve our country away from their families and homes. We are proud to honor you every day.
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