How it all began...

National Military Appreciation Month started as a simple idea; to gather America around its military family to honor, remember, recognize and appreciate those who have served and those now serving and to know the history behind it all. This idea was then legislated twice to achieve greater national attention and recognition.

The first legislation was in the United States Senate in 1999 designating May as National Military Appreciation Month. With the support and sponsorship of Senator John McCain, (R-AZ) and Representative Duncan Hunter, (R-CA) of San Diego and over 50 veteran service organizations, this important and timely legislation tells our service members that their country has set aside an entire month to honor, remember and appreciate them. In April of 2004, more comprehensive legislation was passed by unanimous consent of both Houses of Congress, H. Con. Res. 328, that May is National Military Appreciation Month and urges the President to issue an annual proclamation calling on the American people to recognize this special month of May through appropriate ceremonies and events.

A group of volunteers has been working for 10 years towards preserving May as National Military Appreciation Month; from Washington D.C. to California and even Iceland, people came forward to help support this goal. Instrumental to achieving these results from early on is Duncan Munro, MSgt USAF (Ret)  who has served as National Events Coordinator and supported the website for all these years. Michael Fleming from Los Angeles works diligently as the Public Relations and Media Contact to promote and encourage participation worldwide; Alice Wax worked for passage of related legislation and Shauna Fleming is serving her fourth year as National Spokesperson.  She continues to appear on radio and television shows and has visited to the Oval Office while working on her own goal of collecting 2.6 million letters of appreciation for our troops through A Million Thanks.  Other military support organizations have also embraced NMAM to include Rebels With A Cause, Armature Radio Military Appreciation Day (ARMAD) and The Thank You Foundation.

Most intriguing to National Military Appreciation Months success is that it's built from the ground up by a handful of volunteers with a genuine desire to build public patriotism and support for our troops and veterans. 

Our military has played a major role in the development of our country chronicled through their unbending honor, their dedication to duty and their love of country. Unfortunately, it is common for many families to be neither aware of nor value and understand the service given by those in their own families, many of whom are of the “Greatest Generation” or even the call to duty, honor and country we see now. Schools no longer teach those military events that turned the course of history. We are slowly losing our connection to our own American history. Names like Pearl Harbor, San Juan Hill, Civil War, Belleau Wood, Continental Army, 38th Parallel, Berlin Airlift, Tet Offensive and Normandy are rapidly losing their significance to the general American population, particularly our future generations – our youth.

Because most holidays commemorating historical military events have become little more than three-day weekends lacking focus on their original purpose, this month is needed to remind us of the sacrifices and the history we as Americans have been privileged to participate in throughout the past 230 years.

Through appropriate means and incentives, Federal, State, and local governments and private sector entities are invited to participate in this special month and to encourage everyone to sponsor and participate in programs via multiple venues, giving the nation a time and place upon which to focus, draw attention, and express our appreciation and thanks to our military family.

Due to military deployments worldwide protecting our national interests, Americans are being asked to serve. Employers are being asked to accommodate lengthy absences by key employees. Our military represents the highest caliber of professionalism and technology. We ask them to willingly risk their lives on a moments notice; should we not willingly and openly recognize their contributions and their sacrifices as well?

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND OUR UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES!