Armed Forces Day


An Armed Forces Day, alongside its branch-specific variants often referred to as Army or Soldier's Day, Navy or Sailor's Day, and Air Force or Aviator's Day, is a holiday dedicated to honoring the armed forces, or one of their branches, of a sovereign state, including their personnel, history, achievements, and sacrifices. It's often patriotic or nationalistic in nature, carrying information value outside of the conventional boundaries of a military's subculture and into the wider civilian society. Many nations around the world observe this day. It is usually distinct from a Veterans or Memorial Day, as the former is dedicated to those who previously served and the latter is dedicated to those who perished in the fulfillment of their duties.

Africa

Egypt

In Egypt, Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 6 October, the date on which the Yom Kippur War of 1973 began with the Egyptian Army's successful crossing of the Suez Canal that culminated in the capture of the Bar Lev Line.

Liberia

is celebrated on 11 February.

Mali

Mali Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 20 January.

Mauritania

Mauritanian Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 10 July. Armed Forces Day is marked with events of national importance, such as flag raising ceremonies, awards ceremonies and military parades. It was established in 1960 by President Moktar Ould Daddah as a professional holiday for the armed forces, replacing the holidays of the separate branches of the armed forces, as well as resembling the Remembrance Day celebrations in the United Kingdom. It is not a public holiday in the country.

Nigeria

In Nigeria, Armed Forces Day, also known as Remembrance Day, is celebrated on 15 January. It was formerly celebrated on 11 November of every year to coincide with the Remembrance Day for the World War II veterans in the British Commonwealth of Nations. But it was changed to 15 January in Nigeria in commemoration of the surrender of Biafran troops to the Federal troops on 15 January 1970, thus concluding the Nigerian Civil War that sought to tear apart the unity of Nigeria.

Somalia

Somali Armed Forces Anniversary is celebrated on 12 April as the Armed Forces were founded on 12 April 1960. The branches of Armed Forces conduct a military parade in the Ministry of Defence's campus each year.

South Africa

Armed Forces Day for the South African National Defence Force is celebrated on 21 February, the day of the 1993 reconstitution of the South African Defence Force into its current identity. It has been celebrated with parades nationwide since 2012. Since 2017, the Armed Forces Day event also honors the fallen of the tragic 1917 sinking of SS Mendi, which carried South African forces into the frontlines during the First World War, resulting in one of the biggest military losses ever in South African military history.

Americas

Argentina

In Argentina, the commemorative dates of the Armed Forces are as follows:
Bolivian Armed Forces Day is marked on 7 August, the day after Independence Day, as it was the day in 1826 when Bolivia's first President, Antonio José de Sucre, officially gave his sanction to the creation of the Armed Forces of Bolivia.

Brazil

In Brazil, the commemorative dates of the Armed Forces are as follows:
Brazilian Navy :
  • 11 June – Brazilian Navy Day
  • 13 December – Sailor's Day
Brazilian Army :
  • 19 April – Brazilian Army Day
  • 25 August – Soldier's Day
Brazilian Air Force :
  • 23 October – Aviator's Day

    Canada

In Canada, Canadian Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in June and is a celebration of Canada's armed services, their heritage, and their personnel. It was established as a result of passing of a motion in the House of Commons on 25 April 2002. Canadian Armed Forces Day is not a public holiday in Canada. Official congratulations are given by the Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces, the Prime Minister of Canada, the Minister of National Defence, and the Chief of the Defence Staff. An inspection of an inter-service guard of honour is commonplace during the holiday. Tributes to CF personnel usually happen at the National War Memorial and the Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa. The event is similar to the Remembrance Day celebrations in the fall. In 2018, CFB Borden organized an air show for the holiday.

Chile

In Chile, Army Day is a national holiday celebrated every 19 September, a day after the independence day, with the Gran Parada Militar, a military parade where all the branches of the armed forces display some of their troops and equipment in a special part of O'Higgins Park in Santiago. Several other smaller parades can be seen in other cities of the country, as well as air displays by the air force, on Independence Day, 18 September.
For the Chilean Navy, its counterpart is the national Navy Day celebrations on 21 May, in honor of the double anniversaries of the Battle of Iquique and the Battle of Punta Gruesa in 1879. Valparaiso is where the main celebrations are concentrated, with a military parade in the morning and the President of Chile's State of the Nation address in the afternoon. Similar parades are hosted in major and minor cities and towns nationwide.

Colombia

In Colombia, Army Day is celebrated every 7 August, in commemoration of the Battle of Boyacá which led to the expulsion of most of the Spanish Forces in the country. The Colombian Army holds a military ceremony on the site of the battle to commemorate its anniversary. It was established as a result of a presidential decree by President Alfonso López Michelsen in 1978.
For the Colombian Navy, it celebrates Navy Day every 24 July, in commemoration of the Battle of Lake Maracaibo in 1823 led by Colombian Admiral José Prudencio Padilla. A Naval Review is held in the main naval bases in the Pacific and Caribbean, with the main celebrations concentrated in the Bay of Cartagena where the largest Naval Review is held.

Cuba

The Day of the Cuban Armed Forces is celebrated on 2 December to commemorate the landing of the Granma in 1956. The first ever military parade in years to be held on the holiday was marked in 2006. The parade on 2 January 2017 was the second and the final event marking the diamond jubilee since the events of 1956.

Dominican Republic

Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 25 February to commemorate the anniversary of the armed forces of the Dominican Republic. It is also the day of birth of Matías Ramón Mella, who is regarded as a national hero in the Dominican Republic and fired the first shot with his blunderbuss to proclaim, along with other patriots, the Independence from Haiti on 27 February 1844. On 27 February a military parade is held to commemorate the Independence anniversary.

Ecuador

In Ecuador, the commemorative dates of the Armed Forces are as follows:
Ecuadorian Army :
Ecuadorian Navy :
Ecuadorian Air Force :
  • 27 October – Anniversary of foundation

    Guatemala

In Guatemala, Día del Ejército is celebrated on 30 June. It is remembered because in 1871 the Liberal Revolution or "Revolución Liberal", led by Miguel García Granados and Justo Rufino Barrios, and composed of personnel of the Guatemalan Army, marched on the streets of Guatemala City and captured the Presidential palace, putting an end to the Conservadora administration formerly headed by Rafael Carrera, marking the start of a new era in Guatemalan history. Parades are held in honor of the holiday in Guatemala City and in other major towns nationwide.

Haiti

In Haiti, Le Jour de La Battaille Des Vertieres is celebrated on 18 November in celebration of the victory of the indigenous slave African and Gens de couleur versus the European forces led by France with support from United States and Spain.

Mexico

Mexican Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 19 February since 1950, in commemoration of the decree that created them in 1917.

Peru

In Peru, the Día de las Fuerzas Armadas del Perú is celebrated on 24 September, the feast of the Virgin of Mercy, patroness of the Armed Forces. The day for the Peruvian Army itself is 9 December, commemorating Peru's victory in the Battle of Ayacucho, which ended the Peruvian War of Independence, while for the Peruvian Navy, Navy Day is on 8 October, the double anniversary of the 1821 foundation of the Navy and the Battle of Angamos in 1879.
Air Force Day is held on 23 July, the anniversary of the death of Peruvian Air Force Lieutenant José Quiñones Gonzales during the 1941 Ecuadorian–Peruvian War.
The Great Military Parade of Peru is held on the day after Independence Day, 29 July, and this is where all 3 services of the Armed Forces are also honored.

United States

In the United States, Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May. It falls near the end of Armed Forces Week, which begins on the second Saturday of May and ends on the third Sunday of May.
Because of their unique training schedules, National Guard and reserve units may celebrate Armed Forces Day/Week over any period in the month of May.
First observed on 20 May 1950,
the day was created on 31 August 1949 as President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank military members for their patriotic service in support of the republic and national interests and as an undeniable fact of American life. Secretary of Defense Louis A. Johnson announced the creation to honor Americans serving in the five U.S. military branches – the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Coast Guard – following the consolidation of the military services in the U.S. Department of Defense as part of a modern U.S. Armed Forces. It was intended to replace the separate Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard holidays, but the separate days are still observed, especially within the respective services. The first Armed Forces Day was celebrated by parades, open houses, receptions and air shows. The United States' longest continuously running Armed Forces Day Parade is held in Bremerton, Washington.
On 19 May 2017, President Donald Trump reaffirmed the Armed Forces Day holiday, marking the 70th anniversary since the creation of the Department of Defense. On 15 May 2020, Armed Forces Day honored the newly established United States Space Force for the first time.
Aside from the Armed Forces Day, the Armed Forces and the National Guard Bureau are honored on the following days: