Product Overview
Red Shirt Friday, or R.E.D. Shirt Friday, is a campaign where people wear red on Fridays to show support for deployed military service members and their families. The acronym R.E.D. stand for "Remember Everyone Deployed". The tradition aims to boost the morale of service members by reminding them that their sacrifices are acknowledged and appreciated by the public.
- Symbolism: The color red symbolizes courage, passion, and strength.
- Purpose:
- It provides visible support for service members and their families during deployments.
- For families, it offers reassurance and a sense of community connection.
- For veterans, it is a validation that their service is still remembered.
- Origin: The movement began in the U.S. in 2005 with a viral email campaign and was later adapted in Canada by military spouses in 2006 to support their troops. The idea quickly spread to the United States.
- Participation: Anyone can participate by wearing red on Fridays, whether they have a direct connection to the military or not.
- The number 22: The number 22 represents the number, on average, of military veterans that commit suicide every day.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, the Suicide Prevention Hotline is 988. You can call or text that number.
