Happy Fourth of July!  I know that many of you will be participating in TEA Party events, shooting off fireworks, cooking out on the grill, or traveling to see your friends and family on this day of celebration.  Please, however, make sure that you take care.  If you plan on drinking, call for a cab or designate a non-drinker to take you home.  Additionally, be extra alert on the roads for any drunk drivers, especially late at night.  I want you all to return home safely.

Yesterday, May 31st, was the last day of what has come to be called “Military Appreciation Month.” While Military Appreciation Month (MAM) sounds like a “Hallmark Holiday,” it is significant. May is an appropriate month due to all the military-related holidays and observances that occur during those 31 days.

May 1st - Loyalty Day: This holiday became official on July 18, 1958, and was first observed by President Eisenhower on May 1, 1959. The holiday was created for citizens of the United States to reaffirm their loyalty to the nation.

May 8th - Victory in Europe (or VE) Day: VE Day marks the end of World War II in Europe. On May 8th, 1945, the German government (headed by Karl Donitz following the death of Adolf Hitler) formally surrendered to the Allied Forces.

Friday proceeding Mother’s Day (May 8, 2009) - Military Spouse Appreciation Day: Initiated by President Reagan, Military Spouse Appreciation Day honors the wives and husbands of our armed forces for the sacrifices and support they provide to our military.

Third Saturday in May (May 16, 2009) - Armed Forces Day: This holiday was established to mark the creation of the Department of Defense (and the unification of our military forces). The day honors our military men and women serving in all branches of the military, including the National Guard and Reserve units.

Last Monday of May (May 25, 2009) - Memorial Day: This Federal holiday, legally established in 1966, is set aside to honor those who died while in military service. Originally called “Decoration Day” to honor Union soldiers who fell during the Civil War, the holiday has been expanded to cover all of the fallen in every war and conflict.

Most everyone knows of Memorial Day, but I feel that it has lost meaning over the years due to the commercialization of the Federal holiday. Stores that do not close on that day to honor the fallen hold major sales to attract those that do not have to go to work that day. Cities and States market the day as a major family-travel weekend to kick off the summer tourism season. Even I am guilty of not fully appreciating the importance of the day, which leads me to my annoyance of Military Appreciation Month.

By annoyance, I don’t mean that we should not set aside time to observe the positive impact the military has on our lives. On the contrary. To me, it should be Military Appreciation Year (or MAY for short). In the era of the all-voluntary military, citizens and non-citizens alike join the ranks to protect and defend our great nation and the hope it symbolizes for many around the world. They sacrifice so much for us that we owe them something in return.

My challenge for you this summer, to show that we don’t need a month to honor our troops and veterans, is to find a way to give back. For example, the Disabled American Veterans organization has recently placed a clothing and shoe drop-off box in my community. Knowing that I needed to clean out my closet this year, I bundled up two bags of professional work clothes and donated them to the organization. These clothes will be taken to a Thrift Store to raise funds for the organization to help those wounded while serving our nation. This donation didn’t cost me anything, but will be a source of revenue for those who need it.

Check your local community to see if there are similar drop boxes or other campaigns that raise funds to provide services to our brave men and women. If there are no campaigns, call your local Veterans of Foreign Wars post (for example) and find out if you can volunteer your time or skills to aid our troops, especially in this time of economic hardship. You may have a talent that is worth more than money that can make a significant impact on the lives of our troops, both active and retired.

Yesterday concluded Military Appreciation Month. Today is the start of Military Appreciation Year.

Related articles:
Disabled American Veterans - website
National Military Appreciation Month - website
Veterans of Foreign Wars - website

May 22nd is National Maritime Day. You didn’t know that? That’s ok, most people do not. In fact, if you search for “National Maritime Day” in Wikipedia, all that is displayed is the following:

National Maritime Day is a United States holiday created to recognize the maritime industry. It is observed on May 22, the date that the American steamship Savannah set sail from Savannah, Georgia on the first ever transoceanic voyage under steam power. The holiday was created by the United States Congress on May 20, 1933.

Many of our national holidays, stemming from lesser-known days as National Maritime Day to the easily recognizable days such as Memorial Day on Monday, have lost their meanings in our society. Days that were initially established to honor those who gave their lives in defense of our country or honor those that made our country great have been replaced with three-day weekends for parties and trips to the beach. Well today, I would like to remind you what this day is all about.

On May 22, 1819, the steamship Savannah set sailed from the port of Savannah, Georgia on her way to Liverpool, England. After 28 days under sail and steam, the S.S. Savannah pulled into Liverpool becoming the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. She made a few port stops in Europe before turning around and returning the United States. In honor of her successful trip, May 22nd was declared National Maritime Day in 1933 under Congressional declaration.

Marking the 190th anniversary of that fateful voyage, the Port of Baltimore and the Chesapeake Chapter of the United States Merchant Marine Alumni Foundation celebrated National Maritime Day aboard the nuclearship Savannah. Honoring her namesake, the nuclearship N.S. Savannah was the first U.S. commercial to be powered by a nuclear reactor. Under the program “Atoms for Peace,” President Dwight Eisenhower wanted a vessel to be used to showcase the peaceful applications of nuclear power. Built under a joint project by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the Atomic Energy Commission, the ship made port calls around the world before being retired after just a few years.

In today’s ceremony, former Congresswoman Helen Bentley recalled how she was a reported and maritime editor for the Baltimore Sun covering the construction and operation of the N.S. Savannah. Recalling how it was a nuclear reactor looking for a ship, the government spent up to $80 Million showcasing modern propulsion surrounded by antiquated technology. Since the government’s primary focus was on the nuclear reactor, the builder saved money where they could in other aspects of the vessel. She felt that just $4 Million more would have been enough to really turn the ship into a flagship of the American fleet.

While the N.S. Savannah never made enough money to cover the cost of her construction due to the nuclear reactor, it is possible that we might see the return to nuclear power again in the future. As oil prices rise around the globe, and the demand for more goods increase on the international market, the long-term cost for fueling traditional diesel and steamships may exceed the costs of creating a ship powered by nuclear power. The drawback would be the laws some countries have against allowing nuclear ships from entering their ports. The stigma of nuclear power, stemming from World War II to Three Mile Island to Chernobyl, has tainted an otherwise safe form of energy that has been in use in many countries for decades.

As you enjoy your television, new car, or latest electronic gadget, pause for a moment and look to see where it was made. If it isn’t made in North America, it is most likely that it was brought to you at some point aboard a commercial vessel. Between the S.S. Savannah and the N.S. Savannah, as well as all other ships ever to sail the open seas, the Maritime industry has been there to expand the economy and defend our way of life. For our ships not only bring you new goods to buy, but they also aid our troops in wars around the globe, and sometimes find themselves in the hands of Somali pirates. So take a moment today to reflect on our men and women that sail around the world, for today is their day.

Related articles:
President Barack Obama - “National Maritime Day Proclamation 2009 by the President of the United States of America”
N.S. Savannah - official website