The Armed Forces Day will have its 64th anniversary this year. Starting in 1956, Armed Forces Day was designated as a holiday, but since 1990, Armed Forces Day was excluded from the holiday. Therefore many people who are not soldiers do not know the Armed Forces Day. Armed Forces Day’s official events will be held at Gyeryong-si, Chungcheongnam-do this year.

What does the Armed Forces Day commemorate?
October 1st is a national official anniversary which commemorates the day when the Armed Forces broke through the 38th parallel in 1950. Originally each soldier group celebrated the anniversary separately. For example, the Army anniversary was October 2nd, the Navy anniversary was November 2nd and the Air Force anniversary was October 1st. Then the Cabinet meeting held at 1956 proclaimed October 1st as the official Armed Forces Day. This day, Army, Navy, Air Force, the Military Academy, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy etc. have celebrations like marching and cadet inspection.

Which celebrations will be performed during this day?
‘Strong Armed Forces! Greater Republic of Korea!’ is the main theme of the event. It means this day aims at improved and advanced nation towards unity and peaceful reunification. So during the Armed Forces Day, the strong appearance of the Armed Forces will be rekindled by air show elite team’s celebration of flight, high altitude falling, and martial arts and so on. Especially this year’s funambulism events have reappearance from the Korean War by a Korean War veteran’s granddaughter. After the end of the event, visitors can see K-2 tank, fast rope demonstration, and the remains of photos. Visitors can also participate in mock tower, survival, and postprandial. Except these, there will be a photo zone where visitors can take a picture with artists who are in army. And minesweeping for children will be managed.

Foreign Armed Forces Day
Each country has different military service system. Generally, the military service system is divided into a volunteer military system or a conscription system. Also if some country’s military service system is conscription, term of service is different from each country. In the case of South Korea, military service system is conscription and term of service is within 2 years. Whereas the representative countries which are enforcing volunteer military system are Australia and China. Also in these countries, the basic military system is different.
Although every country has different military service system, each has their own Armed Forces Day. Let’s take a look on the Armed Forces Day of other countries.
Australia’s Armed Forces Day is on April 25th and called ANZAC DAY. ANZAC is the abbreviation of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. It is the day for a memorial to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for world peace and freedom. It means a larger memorial to all the soldiers especially who fought in the Gallipoli peninsula battle during the World War 1. Therefore in some ways, it is similar to South Korea’s Memorial Day. During ANZAC DAY, many events are performed. It starts at 4 AM with praying and a requiem. Then tribute and marching are performed all over the Australia’s major cities. Also ANZAC cookie which is originated from ANZAC DAY has been sold these days. It was created to commemorate the formation of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. It is easy to make, highly nutritious and easy to store so families of veterans used to send this cookie as relief supplies to foreign countries.
China’s Armed Forces Day is on August 1st. It was the date of the organization of regular army which was gathering after a series of riots failed. On August 1st, there is a marching of the soldiers around Beijing. So many soldiers suffer because of the heat. Also to prepare this marching, soldiers are practicing gait, cap height, and the position of the arm by using strings a few months ago.

The army protects our country but we are often so indifferent to our army. For Korean women and few Korean men who have not undergone military service, Korean Army is unfamiliar. By this year’s Armed Forces Day, how about having gratitude toward the Korean Army?

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