Re: 2016 “Armed Forces Day” Event Series

I.    Theme Plan:
Based around the themes of “Honoring the Armed Forces” and “Love for the People”, the 2016 “Armed Forces Day” will plan for a diversity of events to celebrate Armed Forces Day in a manner different from previous years so as to establish a quality military image and educate the people on the concepts of national defense. The event also represented that the military personnel will always stand as one with the people regardless of their posts on the mountaintops or along the coasts to protect our beautiful homeland together.

II.    Event Contents:
1.    Musical Tribute to the Military:
On September 1st, 0900 am, the event will kick off with the musical performance by the Armed Forces Honor Guard Band, followed by the competition of band performances by six bands, including National Taichung Girls' Senior High School, to pay tribute to the military in an innovative and youthful fashion. The event also offers a variety of weapon and equipment display, as well as exciting and interactive activities. Lasting until 5 pm in the afternoon, all citizens are encouraged to take part.

2.    Assembly of Heroes:
On September 2nd, 10 am in the morning, the “Armed Forces Day cum National Defense Education Award Ceremony” will be held at The Grand Hotel for the first time. Officials will arrive personally to issue 145 awards to the outstanding military role models for their exceptional work in national defense. It is a rare honor to be able to gather the heroes together here at The Grand Hotel.

3.    Bringing Honor to the Battlefield:
Just as the stadium and jerseys are the battlefield and uniforms of the baseball players, in order to convey the feelings of “Mutual Recognition Between Heroes”, 5000 military personnel and their families will arrive at the Taoyuan Baseball Stadium, clad in their military uniforms on September 2nd, at 6 pm to watch the national competition by the sports heroes. The Ministry of National Defense has arranged for the Military Band and the students of National Defense University to sing the National Anthem before the commencement of the competition. After which, the Air Force will execute an aerial maneuver, comprising of 5 Mirage Fighters to pay tribute to the military and sports heroes.

4.    Sharing in the Honor with the Military:
In order to convey the respect and support for the Republic of China Armed Forces, on September 1st, a locally renowned heavy motorcycle group will gather together 30 heavy motorcyclists to ride around Taipei Railway Station as a procession to express their regards to the Bo-Ai Military Base, MND. Through their actions, they wish to express their gratitude for the efforts of the military in combat training and the defense of the country, as well as bringing honor to the military.

5.    Sharing in the Prestige:
The military uniform is not only a representation of the people’s expectations. It also represents the duties of the military, and the symbol of honor. In order to create a friendly consumption environment for military personnel, the General Welfare Service has implemented the “Military Discount Plan” and attracted a total of 2,048 retail stores from 34 locally renowned brands, such as Mos Burger, MacDonald’s, Test Rite, Breeze Center, Ambassador Theatre, and E-DA Theme Park to join in the promotion plan. On “Armed Forces Day” on September 3rd, military personnel in military uniforms can get to enjoy discounts at these stores so as to improve the prestige due to the military personnel.

III.    Conclusion:
Through a series of events, the 2016 “Armed Forces Day” will demonstrate the vitality of the military personnel, improve public participation in military events, allow the public to gain a better understanding of national defense affairs, and therefore win their support for national defense. At the same time, the event will increase the honor due to military personnel, as well as strengthen their faith and confidence. Besides the “Assembly of Heroes”, the public is welcome to participate in these events.