Armed Forces Day, 2011

Proclamation 8681 of May 20, 2011

Armed Forces Day, 2011

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

The Armed Forces of the United States of America embody
the highest ideals of our Nation. Serving at home and
in posts around the world, our service members
represent America as ambassadors of our principles.
They display the honor, duty, and discipline of the
finest fighting force the world has ever known. These
brave men and women are willing to sacrifice their
lives for the security of our Nation and the freedoms
of their fellow citizens. We are humbled by their
continued resolve to respond to the call of duty and
defend America and its people.

From our earliest days as a fledgling republic, the
United States has relied on the unwavering courage and
patriotism of our men and women in uniform to sustain
us through wars, emergencies, and challenges at home
and abroad. While conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and
other areas demand an ever-changing set of capabilities
and competencies, our service members continue to
protect our Nation with professionalism and
distinction.

As a grateful Nation, we are indebted to the members of
our Armed Forces for their service, and we support them
in each mission they are tasked to accomplish. I have
no greater privilege as President of the United States
than serving as Commander in Chief, and my
Administration is dedicated to providing the men and
women of our Armed Forces with the resources and
support they require and deserve. We are also committed
to providing the same superior support to our veterans
when they return home. This is the sacred trust our
Nation must hold with her warriors.

It is not just our troops who are called to serve and
sacrifice, but also their families, who give our
service members the love and support they need to carry
on the fight. We will continue to improve and enhance
our support for the families and survivors our troops
leave behind. These heroes are dedicated to defending
the country we love, and we must stand firmly beside
them and help care for their spouses and children.

On Armed Forces Day, let us salute the Soldiers,
Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen who
perform their duties with impeccable courage,
commitment, and character, and recognize our moral
obligation to serve them and their families as well as
they have served us.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, and Commander in Chief of the
Armed Forces of the United States, continuing the
precedent of my predecessors in office, do hereby
proclaim the third Saturday of May as Armed Forces Day.

I direct the Secretary of Defense on behalf of the
Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and the
Secretary of Homeland Security on behalf of the Coast
Guard, to plan for appropriate observances, with the
Secretary of Defense responsible for encouraging the
participation and cooperation of civil authorities and
private citizens.

I invite the Governors of the States, the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico, and other areas subject to the
jurisdiction of the United States, to provide for the
observance of Armed Forces Day in an appropriate manner
to increase

public understanding and appreciation of our Armed
Forces. I also invite veterans, civic leaders, and
other organizations to join in the observance of Armed
Forces Day.

Finally, I call upon all Americans to display the flag
of the United States at their homes on Armed Forces
Day, and I urge citizens to learn more about military
service by attending and participating in the local
observances of the day. I also encourage Americans to
volunteer at organizations that provide support to our
troops.

Proclamation 8522 of May 14, 2010, is hereby
superseded.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord two
thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.