You don't need a specific Military Spouse Appreciation Day to make sure you acknowledge the military spouse in your life. Service members know that their spouses are the ones who keep the home fires burning. And military spouses know that those around them also walking through military life are more than just friends and neighbors: They are family.
You are the service members, family and friends of military spouses who stay up-to-date on military news, benefits, fitness, veteran jobs -- and you know family is what keeps military life moving forward.
What is Military Spouse Appreciation Day?
Military Spouse Appreciation Day is a day set aside for us to pause to recognize the military spouses around us who have the greatest impact on our lives and our military communities.
When is Military Spouse Appreciation Day?
The Friday in May before Mother's Day, this special day was first recognized by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. The sitting president typically issues a proclamation in recognition of the holiday, while celebrations are held on and near U.S. military bases around the world.
May is also host to a series of other military holidays, including Military Appreciation Month, established in 1999; Victory in Europe (VE) Day, commemorating the end of WWII in Europe on May 8, 1945; and Armed Forces Day, designated in 1949. Memorial Day, the only official federal holiday in May, is celebrated the last Monday of the month.
