We Salute our Men and Women in Uniform

Armed Forces Day is Our Chance to Celebrate Their Service

It’s Armed Forces Day, a single day to celebrate all five branches of the U.S. Military. At Pride Mobility, we have a few extra reasons to support our women and men in uniform.

First, by the nature of our products, we often interact with our nation’s warfighters when they return from battle with wounds and scars. They may need mobility assistance while they recuperate, or, in the most extreme cases, long term support because of a permanent injury.

But in addition, many service men and women work alongside us as some of the most dependable employees.

President Harry S. Truman led the charge to create Armed Forces Day in 1949, around the time military branches assembled under the newly formed Department of Defense.

It may seem like our nation has an awful lot of holidays to celebrate the military. And if you’re a civilian, you might ask yourself: what’s the difference between Armed Forces Day, Veterans Day and Memorial Day? Aren’t they all the same?

Trust us – for military families, the distinction between all three matters, so let’s clear the air.

It helps to start by thinking about their names.

Memorial Day helps us remember those who gave their lives in battle. This one is typically the most somber lots of with graveside ceremonies. It’s always on the last Monday in May. For civilians, this one’s probably the most celebrated because many workers take the day off.

Veterans Day, often called Armistice Day in other parts of the world, celebrates anyone alive or dead who previously served. It’s always Nov. 11. Globally, it marks the day fighting between Germany and the Allied Forces ended during World War I. While that history is typically part of celebrations here in the U.S., Veterans Day more specifically honors anyone who previously served in the military.

Side note about Veterans Day. At Pride Mobility, we treat Veterans Day like a full blown holiday, and all the vets get the day off.

Armed Forces Day recognizes all those who currently serve in the military, including the National Guard and Coast Guard.

At Pride, we’re honored to live in a country that so vigorously supports its military. The feeling comes from seeing what they give up to protect the rest of us. We also know that, whether enlisted, discharged or in the reserves, service men and women have far more to offer the rest of us besides national security. So we’re taking a moment to show gratitude for how they make our country better beyond their service.

Our soldiers gain valuable skills for civilian life

At Pride, we celebrate the members of our workforce who put their lives on the line. But there’s another reason we love hiring military – they happen to be incredible workers.

The military prepares people with sharp analytical skills, a heightened sense of duty, a pragmatic perspective and a leader’s mindset.

It’s for those reasons that major corporations like Amazon, Lockheed Martin and Merck love hiring former military. Companies offer them robust sign-on incentives, fasttrack them through the onboarding process and promote them quickly. 

Put your military experience to work for you

That said, when leaving the military, former service members often struggle to put their experience into context on the civilian side. If you need help interpreting your military skills to a civilian job, check out http://www.careeronestop.org’s Veterans Jobs Matcher. It neatly spits out options for you to consider based on your Military Occupation Classification.

(Shameless plug here: If you have a military background and are looking to translate your skills for the workforce, check out our job openings. We have operations all over the country. Who knows? Maybe your next career is in cutting-edge mobility products.)

Mobility products help disabled warfighters live achieve fulfilled lives

At Pride Mobility, we recognize that war always leaves scars. Warriors often return home with wounds that never fully heal. But lasting wounds don’t mean “broken forever.”

We know service members want to hunt and fish with their kids. They want to head into the outdoors and find new adventures with the people they care about. They want to take vacations, plant gardens, raise pets, fall in love and start businesses.

At Pride Mobility, we know our mobility lineup can’t do all those things for them, and we won’t claim that a new mobility scooter offers some secret to success and happiness.

We are proud, though, that our products have become invaluable tools for service members who refuse to let injuries slow them down. A Pride scooter or power chair won’t give you the success, but it might carry you while you’re chasing it.

Accessorize your ride with exclusive military patches

If you’re in the market for a mobility scooter or power wheelchair, and served in the military, ask your dealer about Pride’s exclusive military patches, which may be fastened to the rear of your mobility scooter or power chair’s backrest