[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 22, 2013)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 30731-30732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-12402]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 99 / Wednesday, May 22, 2013 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 30731]]


                Proclamation 8984 of May 17, 2013

                
Armed Forces Day, 2013

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Since the earliest days of our Union, America has been 
                blessed with an unbroken chain of patriots willing to 
                give of themselves so their fellow citizens might live 
                free. Whenever our Nation has come under attack, 
                courageous men and women in uniform have risen to her 
                defense. Whenever our liberties have come under 
                assault, our service members have responded with 
                resolve. Time and again, these heroes have sacrificed 
                to sustain that powerful promise that we hold so dear--
                life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And on 
                Armed Forces Day, we honor those who serve bravely and 
                sacrifice selflessly in our name.

                Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast 
                Guardsmen represent the best of the American character. 
                They serve with integrity and do whatever the country 
                they love asks of them, choosing flag over fortune and 
                service over self-interest. Year after year, tour after 
                tour, their dedication to protecting us at home and 
                preserving our ideals never wavers; their commitment to 
                each other never falters. They are the few who carry 
                the remarkable weight of our entire Nation, and in 
                their example we see why America is and always will be 
                the greatest country on Earth.

                Today, we pause to express our gratitude, mindful that 
                words and ceremonies are not enough and that our thanks 
                extend not only to those in uniform, but also to the 
                families who serve alongside them. We are bound by a 
                sacred obligation to ensure our service members and 
                their loved ones have the resources and benefits they 
                have earned and deserve, and only when we uphold this 
                trust do we truly show our appreciation for our Armed 
                Forces.

                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 each 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 each year, 
                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 within their 
                jurisdiction each year in an appropriate manner 
                designed to increase public understanding and 
                appreciation of the Armed Forces of the United States. 
                I also invite veterans, civic leaders, and 
                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.

[[Page 30732]]

                Proclamation 8823 of May 18, 2012, is hereby 
                superseded.

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

[FR Doc. 2013-12402
Filed 5-21-13; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F3