Adventure Outdoors Magazine Summer 2016 | Page 66

Another thing to remember is Military Spouse Appreciation Day, which is also in May. We don’t often think of the family behind the service member, but when they lose a loved one or have to be apart from them during a tour, it takes a toll on them as well. We forget that being in a military family requires a lot of sacrifice, and we honor those families for having the courage to support their troops through all endeavors. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan “recognized the profound importance of spousal commitment to the readiness and well-being of military members.” President Reagan did so with the Proclamation 5184. Congress then officially established Military Spouse Appreciation Day as a part of the National Military Appreciation Month in the same year that it, too, was created: 1999. It is noted and declared to be the Friday before Mother’s Day (fittingly) every year. The final observance we make in May is, of course, Memorial Day. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day, and more than 20 cities and towns still claim to be the creators and “birthplaces” of the Federal Holiday. Nevertheless, Waterloo, New York, was officially named the birthplace of the holiday in 1966, by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Memorial Day was initially thought of after the time of the Civil War, as a need to honor all those that served and died during that time. In May of 1868, General John Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, declared, “The 30th of May…is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard, in the land.” It is noted that the particular day was chosen for being free of any previous battle anniversaries. We commemorate those who gave their lives in service and we assure the surviving families that we will remember their loved one’s expense for our country. There is a scheduled minute of silence in place at 3:00 PM local time, to honor and remember those military personnel. 64 Summer 2016 Adventure Outdoors “There are some who have forgotten why we have a military. It is not to promote war, it is to be prepared for peace. ” – President Ronald Reagan