National Day of The Deployed
We’re pleased to announce the upcoming National Day of The Deployed arriving October 26th. This commemoration began in 2006 when Shelle Michaels Aberle convinced North Dakota Governor John Hoeven to enact a day to honor those deployed overseas. Veteran support is considered one of the truly patriotic things we can do especially during difficult and acrimonious times in our country.
The Sarasota County veterans thought it would be great to highlight some ways we can all honor and raise awareness for the many sacrifices that deployed military members make all the time.
Ways To Honor Deployed Service Members and Their Families
- Donate directly to families and deployed service personnel either financially or through care packages.
- Assist the efforts of your local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the USO, and Disabled American Veterans.
- Donate to your local veteran support groups.
- Notify others of National Day of The Deployed with the hashtag #DayOfTheDeployed.
- Reach out directly to deployed troops and their families. You probably have one or two in your extended family or neighborhood.
- Make dinner for them on October 26th.
- Babysit the children of a military spouse.
- Do you own a business like a restaurant? Consider including an additional veteran discount of some sort on October 26th.
- Visit an elderly veteran who is lonely.
What started out as a proclamation in North Dakota has now spread to all 50 states. Sarasota is home to a lot of military veterans, so it only makes sense that we would champion this cause.
Unfortunately, military suicide rates are at all-time highs. Furthermore, a supportive environment isn’t always a given for those who get deployed or have to make cross-country moves.
Deployment, as you can tell, can be a source of angst, depression, and even suicidal ideation. This means that we cannot afford to neglect veteran support as it’s become an issue of pandemic proportion.
Collaborate with SRQ Vets
If you’re interested in collaborating with SRQ Vets to help serve our friends in uniform, there are tons of ways you can volunteer with us, and we don’t force you into a box. Feel free to send us a message and let us know how you would like to join our efforts.
Also, don’t forget to check out our allies at Operation Rubix who work tirelessly to raise awareness for the victims of anxiety disorders like PTSD, OCD, personality disorders, and chemical dependency. Teaming with them is another terrific way for Sarasotans to honor our veterans on National Day of The Deployed.
