Friday, 17 July 2026 0000
Every Friday, we wear red—Remember Everyone Deployed. It is a visual pledge, a reminder of the sacrifice made by those standing watch in distant lands and, just as importantly, the families back home who keep the home fires burning.
This week, our hearts are full as we celebrate the safe return of the Connecticut Army National Guard’s 643rd Military Police Company. After a yearlong deployment supporting U.S. Southern Command, these soldiers touched down at Bradley Air National Guard Base, greeted by the long-awaited embrace of their loved ones.
A Mission Accomplished, A Family Reunited
For the men and women of the 643rd, that year away meant missing the small, vital routines that define our lives: family dinners, school mornings, and the quiet comfort of home. As Maj. Gen. Francis J. Evon Jr. noted, these soldiers stepped away from their ordinary lives to answer the call of duty, returning now as individuals who have grown stronger and more experienced through their service.
Seeing them on that tarmac, reunited with their families, is the image we hold for every service member currently away from home. It is a reminder of why we stay vigilant and why we show our support.
The True Meaning of Red Friday
While the return of the 643rd is a cause for profound celebration, it serves as a powerful example of the hope we carry for all our troops. Until the day every service member is back on American soil—until the day the final boots are off the ground—our mission remains clear.
Red Friday is not just about the deployment; it is about the endurance of the families who wait. It is about acknowledging that while the service member is deployed, the entire household serves. Whether your loved one is currently serving a yearlong tour, just starting a mission, or already on their way back to you, please know this: the CVB community stands with you.
How We Keep the Promise
We wear red to ensure our deployed know they are never forgotten, no matter how far away they are. We wear red to show those families waiting at home that they are part of a support system that spans the nation.
To the soldiers of the 643rd: Welcome home. We honor your sacrifice, your service, and the professionalism you brought to U.S. Southern Command.
To everyone else still out there: Keep your head up, stay safe, and know that you are in our thoughts every single day. We will keep wearing red until you are all home.
Are you currently navigating a deployment or welcoming a loved one home? Join the conversation in the comments below. Let us honor the strength of our military families together.
I am not a veteran. I am a member of the Civil Air Patrol, the United States Air Force Auxiliary. But in 1991, personal loss brought me to a place I never left.
Over two decades later, that loss led me to the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown, Connecticut, where I took on the coordination of Wreaths Across America — which grew into the largest and fastest growing veterans program in the state. I didn’t do it for recognition. I did it for them.
In 2016 I founded the Connecticut Veterans Bulletin. Not because I served, but because I believe those who did deserve to be honored, connected, and kept alive.
Twenty-two veterans die by suicide every day. I knew about that number before it became a hashtag. I knew it personally, long before anyone was talking about it.
This publication exists because that number is unacceptable. Because every veteran in Connecticut deserves to know someone gives a damn.
That someone is me.
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