Armed Forces Day 2027 is on Saturday

About Armed Forces Day

Armed Forces Day honors people currently in uniform, which sets it apart from Memorial Day, which remembers those who died in military service, and Veterans Day, which honors everyone who has served. It is a chance for the public to see what the services do, and for communities to say thank you to the service members, reservists and Guard members who live among them.

The day grew out of the post-World War II reorganization that brought the military services under a single Department of Defense. According to the Defense Department's history of the day, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced on August 31, 1949, that a single Armed Forces Day would replace the separate Army, Navy and Air Force days. The service leagues agreed to drop their own days, although the Marine Corps League kept supporting Marine Corps Day as well.

President Harry Truman proclaimed the first Armed Forces Day for Saturday, May 20, 1950, and invited governors to issue their own proclamations and citizens to fly the flag at home. The theme that year was "Teamed for Defense," and the day was marked with parades, open houses and air shows. Presidents still issue a proclamation each spring, and recent ones designate the third Saturday of May as Armed Forces Day and direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, who oversees the Coast Guard, to plan observances.

Armed Forces Day is not a federal holiday. Other countries hold their own versions on different dates; the United Kingdom, for example, marks its Armed Forces Day on the last Saturday in June. The dates on this page follow the US calendar.

Sources: US Department of Defense: Armed Forces Day History (archived copy), American Presidency Project: Truman, Proclamation 2873, Armed Forces Day, 1950, Federal Register: Armed Forces Day, 2024, Armed Forces Day (UK): About. How we check dates.

How to mark Armed Forces Day

• Visit a base open house, air show or parade if an installation near you holds one, and check the event rules for visitors in advance.
• Fly the US flag at home, as the original 1950 proclamation invited citizens to do.
• Send a letter or care package to deployed troops through an established military support organization.
• Thank a service member, reservist or National Guard member you know, or ask them about their work.
• Learn about a branch you know little about, such as the Space Force or the Coast Guard, through its official website or a military museum.

Armed Forces Day dates