[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 25, 2011)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 30497-30498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-13168]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 25, 2011 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 30497]]


                Proclamation 8681 of May 20, 2011

                
Armed Forces Day, 2011

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                The Armed Forces of the United States of America embody 
                the highest ideals of our Nation. Serving at home and 
                in posts around the world, our service members 
                represent America as ambassadors of our principles. 
                They display the honor, duty, and discipline of the 
                finest fighting force the world has ever known. These 
                brave men and women are willing to sacrifice their 
                lives for the security of our Nation and the freedoms 
                of their fellow citizens. We are humbled by their 
                continued resolve to respond to the call of duty and 
                defend America and its people.

                From our earliest days as a fledgling republic, the 
                United States has relied on the unwavering courage and 
                patriotism of our men and women in uniform to sustain 
                us through wars, emergencies, and challenges at home 
                and abroad. While conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and 
                other areas demand an ever-changing set of capabilities 
                and competencies, our service members continue to 
                protect our Nation with professionalism and 
                distinction.

                As a grateful Nation, we are indebted to the members of 
                our Armed Forces for their service, and we support them 
                in each mission they are tasked to accomplish. I have 
                no greater privilege as President of the United States 
                than serving as Commander in Chief, and my 
                Administration is dedicated to providing the men and 
                women of our Armed Forces with the resources and 
                support they require and deserve. We are also committed 
                to providing the same superior support to our veterans 
                when they return home. This is the sacred trust our 
                Nation must hold with her warriors.

                It is not just our troops who are called to serve and 
                sacrifice, but also their families, who give our 
                service members the love and support they need to carry 
                on the fight. We will continue to improve and enhance 
                our support for the families and survivors our troops 
                leave behind. These heroes are dedicated to defending 
                the country we love, and we must stand firmly beside 
                them and help care for their spouses and children.

                On Armed Forces Day, let us salute the Soldiers, 
                Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen who 
                perform their duties with impeccable courage, 
                commitment, and character, and recognize our moral 
                obligation to serve them and their families as well as 
                they have served us.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, and Commander in Chief of the 
                Armed Forces of the United States, continuing the 
                precedent of my predecessors in office, do hereby 
                proclaim the third Saturday of May as Armed Forces Day.

                I direct the Secretary of Defense on behalf of the 
                Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and the 
                Secretary of Homeland Security on behalf of the Coast 
                Guard, to plan for appropriate observances, with the 
                Secretary of Defense responsible for encouraging the 
                participation and cooperation of civil authorities and 
                private citizens.

                I invite the Governors of the States, the Commonwealth 
                of Puerto Rico, and other areas subject to the 
                jurisdiction of the United States, to provide for the 
                observance of Armed Forces Day in an appropriate manner 
                to increase

[[Page 30498]]

                public understanding and appreciation of our Armed 
                Forces. I also invite veterans, civic leaders, and 
                other organizations to join in the observance of Armed 
                Forces Day.

                Finally, I call upon all Americans to display the flag 
                of the United States at their homes on Armed Forces 
                Day, and I urge citizens to learn more about military 
                service by attending and participating in the local 
                observances of the day. I also encourage Americans to 
                volunteer at organizations that provide support to our 
                troops.

                Proclamation 8522 of May 14, 2010, is hereby 
                superseded.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2011-13168
Filed 5-24-11; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3195-W1-P