October 26, 2019
National Day of the Deployed: A Time to Honor Our Troops
Photo by Mick Haupt under Unsplash License
Since the United States became a world power, millions of our troops have been deployed around the world, and hundreds of thousands of them have died in combat. As part of their commitment to serve and defend our nation, these brave men and women made huge sacrifices – placing their lives on the line and leaving their families behind. That is why a day has been dedicated for honoring them, a day to thank them for the sacrifices they made and are still making for us. That day is the National Day of the Deployed.
Celebrated every 26th of October, this annual event encourages us Americans to express our gratitude to our deployed troops. It’s also an occasion to acknowledge their families who are also making sacrifices of their own. They’re pretty much the reason why our service members continue to stay strong despite everything they’re going through in the countries where they have been deployed.
Although the National Day of the Deployed is not observed as a state holiday, various ceremonies are held by public and private institutions in various parts of the United States to mark the event.
A Brief History
If you’re wondering who deserves credit for starting this special occasion, she’s a woman from North Dakota named Shelle Michaels Aberle. She felt that our deployed soldiers should be honored for their acts of bravery. This led her to share the idea to then North Dakota governor John Hoeven in 2006. Hoeven fully supported her plea and proclaimed October 26 as National Day of the Deployed.
The date is actually the birthday of LTC David Hosna, Aberle’s cousin who was deployed in Iraq. He was the inspiration behind her idea. The first celebration took place in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Ways to Honor Our Deployed Troops
There are tons of things you can do to let our service members and their families know how much you appreciate them. Here are some ideas you might want to consider:
- Mail a care package.
Surprise a deployed service member with a package filled with useful items, such as snacks, beverages, books, and maybe even personalized shirts or hats.
- Send a heartfelt letter.
Receiving a sincere letter from a fellow American can mean the world for any service member since it lets them know that their sacrifices are being acknowledged and appreciated.
- Team up with a military support organization.
There are hundreds of organizations that serve military families across the nation. You can get involved by making a financial contribution or doing volunteer work for one of them.
- Offer to run errands for a military family.
If you know of a military family living in your neighborhood, offer to help them out with any chores. You can mow their lawn, wash the dishes, buy their groceries, or cook them a meal.
- Wear a yellow ribbon.
Yellow ribbons mean respect for our deployed troops. By displaying one, you’re letting their families and the general public know that you honor these courageous men and women.
- Reach out to a deployed member.
Do you know of a service member who has just returned home after serving a tour of duty abroad? If you do, make their day by taking them out for lunch to catch up or surprising them with a delicious homemade treat.
- Spread the word on social media.
Encourage everyone around you to support our deployed service members and their families through social media. You may want to use the hashtag #DayOfTheDeployed to generate attention for the event.
A Simple Charitable Act You Can Do
Photo by cottonbro studio under Pexels License
As a way of honoring and thanking our veterans for their invaluable service to our nation, you can donate a vehicle you no longer need to Veteran Car Donations. Doing so gives you the opportunity to help them transition well to civilian life. Thanks to your vehicle donation, the needy veterans in your community will receive essential medical care, shelter, food, mental health services, and more.
To make it worth your while, your charitable contribution will qualify you to receive a top tax deduction in the next tax season.
To get started, you only need to fill out our online donation form or call us at 877-594-5822 and we’ll handle everything else for you—including your vehicle’s free pickup and towing and the required paperwork to enable you to receive a top tax deduction.
If you have questions about our vehicle donation program, feel free to send us a message online or call us at our toll-free hotline. For more information, visit our FAQs page.
Something to Remember
Let’s not take our everyday liberties for granted because there were people who spent the best days of their lives fighting for us to secure those freedoms. Call us now at 877-594-5822 and show your gratitude to our nation’s heroes with your car donation!
Last Updated: March 8th, 2023