Recognize those who serve, or who have served, our country on National Armed Forces Day today. There are several ways for those who have served to reach out to other veterans, including the VFW Post in Riverside. Quartermaster for VFW Post 6414 Steve Miller says reaching out to people who have similar experiences can make a positive impact, “Everyone comes back a little different. We talk about post traumatic stress disorder, we talk about changing, a little bit of abandonment sometimes. I knew from my father’s generation, the World War II generation, people who had been in the service and been outgoing and came back very reticent. [War] has a variety of different impacts on different people.”

The annual tradition of recognizing our nation’s armed forces began in the first half of the 20th century when each branch had their own day of celebration. In 1949 Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of Armed Forces Day combining all military branches.