It's a tiny act that means a lot more than most people realize. On Fridays, civilians wear a red piece of clothing (it can be a shirt, tie, pants, etc.) as a reminder to all to Remember Everyone Deployed. Known as R.E.D. Friday, there are a lot of stories around where this idea to support those serving overseas began. Keep reading to learn more about how the early 2000s tradition began, and why it is still important today.
The History of Remember Everyone Deployed (RED) Friday
While the history of RED Friday can’t be traced to one organization or person, it was started as a grassroots effort among the military community at large.
Fun fact, the tradition actually has two competing origin stories.
The first is that the tradition began will a simple email. This origin story says that in 2005, an email was sent out encouraging recipients to simply forward the chain to others. The email explained,
"If every one of our members shared this with other acquaintances, fellow workers, friends, and neighbors, I guarantee that it will not be long before the USA will be covered in RED - and make our troops know there are many people thinking of their well-being. You will feel better all day Friday when you wear RED!"
The second origin story says that the tradition began in Canada, though it was an American initiative, that implored subscribers to wear red to support troops who were deployed.
Military spouses Lisa Miller and Karen Boier organized an event with fellow Canadians, encouraging them to wear red (which happened to work perfectly with the Canadian flag). The events began to become more popular and eventually made their way up to the Canadian Prime Minister.
Why Was Red Chosen?
But why red? Isn’t yellow already tied to remembering those who are deployed?
The truth is the yellow ribbon has been a symbol for supporting troops, but it is tied to many other traditions, and is often seen as a symbol of hope and sympathy.
While still used today, families and those connected to military service wanted to find another way to show support to the military community serving overseas in combat or support zones.
The military loves their acronyms, and red fits perfectly with helping people remember those deployed.
RED stands for Remember Everyone Deployed. The day Friday was chosen in the grassroots movement as the day everyone would wear red to support those overseas.
Who Is RED Friday For?
RED Friday is for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you are connected to the military as part of the military community or if you are an American wanting to show support to those who defend it.
It doesn’t matter if you know someone currently deployed, or if you don't. It isn’t a political statement about service members overseas. Instead, it is a personal statement showing support for those serving overseas.
Even though this action began in the early 2000s when many service members were deployed overseas, there are still service members away from their family, serving all over the world to keep our country safe. Wearing red today is just as important as it was when the movement started.
Continue the Movement Today
Want to get involved and show your support to military members serving overseas? It is easy.
Just intentionally wear red every Friday. T-shirts, hats, polos, ties, and ribbons are great examples of how to intentionally add red to your outfit.
There are several organizations that have created specific wear RED t-shirts, but they are not necessary to participate. You can also share your outfit choice on social media, and use the tag #RedFridays to help spread the word.
It may seem small, but it means a lot to those who are serving overseas to know there are people back home supporting them.
Suggested reads:
