National Hug a G.I. Day is a holiday that encourages everyone to give people who have served in the military a well-deserved hug. There are many ways to honor the good work performed by members of the armed services, but giving them a hug is probably one of the most personal ways.

Of course, if a person doesn’t know the service member very well, they can forgo the literal hug and instead opt for a figurative one. The point of this holiday is to celebrate those who have served, so it doesn’t really matter how you do it when the holiday comes around on March 4th.

The History of National Hug a G.I. Day

This holiday was created by Adrienne Koopersmith in 1996. She wanted to honor service members with this holiday, and that’s why she created it. She placed it on March 4th because that date on the calendar is the only one that is also a military command: March Forth. The holiday has been observed ever since all over the U.S.

Facts About the U.S. Military

Below are some interesting facts about the U.S. military, just in time for National Hug a G.I. Day.

• The U.S. Army is older than the United States itself.
• The U.S. Army was created on June 14, 1775.
• The Department of Defense is the largest employer in the United States.
• The Department of Defense owns 30 million acres of land all over the world.
• Every year, approximately 80,000 people join the U.S. military.

Observing National Hug a G.I. Day

As the name of this holiday implies, the best way to observe it is by hugging service members—either literally or figuratively. Once that’s done, be sure to use the hashtag #NationalHugAGIDay on social media to spread the word about this holiday far and wide.