Armed Forces Day 2025

Our Armed Forces display their capability and dedication consistently.

Every day our Servicemen and service women put their lives on the line for us with fortitude and bravery.

They work to protect us in many different ways, from fighting wars to humanitarian relief, from peace-making to search and rescue and much else besides.

They carry out these tasks in difficult and often dangerous conditions and they perform them superbly.

They and their families give up much on our behalf and also, sometimes they pay a tragic price for our security,

So, it is only right that we dedicate a day every year to recognise the work and sacrifice of our Armed Forces.

As you participate in this special day, I ask you to remember the thousands of men and women of the British Armed Forces community for their hard work, dedication and efforts to keep us safe here at home and those deployed around the globe far from their families and loved ones, doing their duty on your behalf.

But while we remember those in uniform, we must not forget the other people who make up the wider Armed Forces community.

The families and loved ones of our Service personnel bear a particularly heavy burden and we owe them a debt we can never fully repay.

So, let us all take a moment to pause, reflect, appreciate and admire the unrelenting devotion of self-sacrifice and positive attitude of those who serve or have served this country as part of the United Kingdom Armed Forces

I thank you all.
Dame Susan Snowdon DCVO