May is National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM), a month-long observance culminating on May 25, Memorial Day. NMAM celebrates all men and women in uniform and encourages all United States citizens to observe the month of May in unity with our military.
For over 200 years, the U.S. military has protected our homeland and national interests in the air, on land, at sea, along our coastlines, and in outer space. With 800 military bases in the U.S. and over 70 countries around the world, our military directly touches the lives of millions of people while safeguarding us all.
My home state of Kentucky, in particular, houses two military bases, including the iconic Fort Knox, home to the U.S. Army’s Human Resource Center of Excellence, and Fort Campbell, home to the "Screaming Eagles” of the 101st Airborne Division.
USA Cares is one of a few military-focused organizations that I am proud to support. They provide financial support and advocacy assistance to post-9/11 active U.S. military service personnel, veterans, and their families. The organization was started in Kentucky to raise funds to help military families in financial crisis through the sale of “Support Our Troops” yard signs, and it was expanded to a national effort in 2003 due to the increasing number of requests.
I hope you will join me in paying tribute to our military this month, especially on May 16 for Armed Forces Day, a single day for all Americans to come together and celebrate our armed forces across all six branches. At the end of the month, on Memorial Day, we will come together as a nation to honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms and way of life.
Our military embodies the core of what it means to be an American, and we celebrate all who serve or have served throughout our country’s proud history.