Sen. Farley Notes May Is Military Appreciation Month

May is designated as Military Appreciation Month, a time of remembrance of those who have served our country, and especially those who lost their lives keeping our Nation safe. 

Also, this Saturday, May 16th , is Armed Forces Day, a time set aside to pay tribute to our military personnel who currently serve in our Nation’s Armed Forces.

Memorial Day falls on May 25th this year. This day commemorates all who have died in military service for our Nation and it is typically honored by parades and visits to memorials and cemeteries. Memorial Day originally began as a time for the families of Civil War soldiers to commemorate the heroic actions of their deceased family members. Over the years, it came to serve as a commemoration to remember all the U.S. men and women killed or missing in action when serving their country.

We shouldn't wait until our veterans are gone to treasure them. These veterans are living history and we can learn so much from them. 

Veterans can help ensure the memory of their service by participating in two worthwhile living history projects. 

On the State level, the New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center is asking veterans to participate in its Oral History Program. The program collects the experiences of veterans of all periods and services.  For more information, visit http://dmna.ny.gov/historic/veterans/vindex.htm or call 581-5100 and provide the operator with your name, address and phone number information to register for the program. Veterans will be sent a questionnaire to complete. 

On the federal level, there is the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress. This project collects, preserves and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. For more information, visit www.loc.gov/vets or call (888) 371-5848.