But just how do we show appreciation for our home of the free because of the brave ? Holidays , acts of kindness and personal tributes can show we care .

There are many military-centric annual observances to attend and celebrate our American heroes . Some of the ones you may not think of are birthdays for each branch of service , Armed Forces Day ( May 20 ), Flag Day ( June 14 ), POW / MIA Recognition Day ( Sept 15 ), and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ( Dec 6 ), just to name a few .

A relatively new observance is Vietnam Veterans Day ( March 29 ). As a national holiday , it honors all veterans who served between November 1 , 1955 and May 15 , 1975 . The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that today there are more than 7 million U . S . Vietnam veterans living in America and abroad .

At the time , Vietnam veterans were not welcomed home as heroes because many Americans opposed the divisive conflict . So today this holiday gives Americans the opportunity to welcome home and thank Vietnam veterans for their service . The Gilroy Veterans Hall , 74 W . 6th Street , will host a welcome home event for veterans on March 29 .

Of course , there are the more traditional holidays too . Memorial Day , the last Monday of May , is a solemn occasion to honor the men and women who died while serving in the military . While Veterans Day ( Nov . 11 ), the anniversary of the signing of the armistice treaty ending World War I , is to thank the veterans , still living , for their service .

There are many opportunities to show a veteran appreciation , but the question is how .

18 SPRING 2024 gmhTODAY Magazine : Go . Make history ... gmhtoday . com