RED Friday: Remember Everyone Deployed
RED Friday is a simple tradition with a profound message — every Friday, people wear red to honor and remember the military members who are currently deployed overseas. No official organization runs it. No marketing team dreamed it up. It started because military families needed to know that someone back home was thinking of their loved one. As a U.S. Army veteran, I can tell you: that knowledge matters more than most people realize.
What Does RED Friday Stand For?
RED = Remember Everyone Deployed. It's that straightforward. Every Friday, supporters wear something red — a shirt, a ribbon, a bracelet, a hat — as a visible reminder that they haven't forgotten the men and women stationed overseas, separated from their families, their communities, and the country they swore to protect.
There's no central headquarters, no membership card, no fee. RED Friday exists because people chose to make it exist — and that's exactly what makes it powerful. It's a grassroots movement carried forward by families, friends, coworkers, and communities who understand that deployed service members give up more than most civilians will ever see.
Why RED Friday Matters
When you're deployed overseas, the days can be long and the distance from home can feel infinite. You're operating in environments most people only see in news clips. You miss birthdays, anniversaries, school plays, and quiet Friday nights with your family. The hardest part isn't the danger — it's the wondering whether anyone back home notices that you're gone.
That's why a simple gesture like wearing red on a Friday carries so much weight. It tells a deployed service member: I see you. I remember you. Your sacrifice hasn't been forgotten. For a young soldier or sailor thousands of miles from home, knowing that strangers — not just family — are thinking about them can be the emotional anchor that gets them through another week.
As someone who wore the uniform, I understand this from the inside. Military service asks you to put your life on hold — your career, your family milestones, your normal routines — and trust that the people you left behind haven't forgotten you. RED Friday is one of the clearest ways a community can say: we haven't.
"When I was in the Army, one of the most meaningful things was knowing that people back home were thinking about us. RED Friday keeps that spirit alive for the next generation of service members."
How to Participate in RED Friday
Getting involved is easy, and you don't need to have a military connection to do it. Here's how anyone can join in:
How Santa Clarita and Southern California Can Rally Around RED Friday
Our communities have a strong military heritage. Santa Clarita, Los Angeles County, Ventura County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County are home to thousands of active-duty members, veterans, and military families. RED Friday is a chance for all of us to show up — not just on Veterans Day or Memorial Day, but every single week.
Local Businesses
Imagine walking into your favorite coffee shop on a Friday and seeing red ribbons on the door, staff in red shirts, and a sign that says "We Remember Everyone Deployed." Local businesses can display RED Friday signage, offer small discounts to customers wearing red, and share RED Friday posts on their social media. It costs almost nothing and generates real goodwill — both for the business and for the cause.
Schools and Youth Groups
RED Friday is a powerful teaching moment for young people. Schools can designate Fridays as RED Friday spirit days, teachers can explain what "Remember Everyone Deployed" means, and students can write letters or create cards that get sent to deployed units through organizations like Operation Gratitude. It teaches children about service, sacrifice, and community — values that last a lifetime.
Community Groups and Organizations
HOAs, churches, Rotary clubs, Scout troops, Special Olympics teams, and neighborhood groups can all adopt RED Friday as a standing tradition. Share stories of local veterans and deployed members (with their permission), host a brief moment of recognition, or simply make it a standing item: "This Friday, we wear red." Collective action like this turns a personal gesture into a community-wide statement of support.
Social Media and Digital Outreach
If your business, school, or organization participates in RED Friday, share it online. A single photo with #REDFriday or #RememberEveryoneDeployed can reach a deployed service member halfway around the world. It costs nothing, takes 30 seconds, and could brighten someone's entire week.
Why This Is Personal for Me
I didn't just study military service — I lived it. As a U.S. Army veteran, I know what it feels like to be away from home, to wonder whether the people you left behind are carrying on without you, and to hope that someone — anyone — remembers you're out there doing a job most people will never see.
RED Friday is personal to me because I've been on both sides of it. I've been the soldier overseas who appreciated knowing people back home were thinking of him. And now, as a civilian and a member of the Santa Clarita community, I wear red every Friday to make sure today's deployed service members know they haven't been forgotten.
It's also part of my Service Before Self philosophy. Service doesn't end when you take off the uniform. It becomes a way of life — in how you treat people, how you show up for your community, and how you honor the people still wearing the uniform today.
RED Friday Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
What does RED Friday stand for?
RED stands for Remember Everyone Deployed. It's a weekly tradition of wearing red on Fridays to show support for military service members currently stationed overseas.
When is RED Friday?
Every Friday. There's no specific holiday or one-time event — the whole point is consistency. Wearing red every Friday keeps the reminder alive week after week.
How can I participate in RED Friday?
Wear something red every Friday, share a photo on social media using #REDFriday, encourage your school or workplace to participate, display a red ribbon, or simply reach out to a military family and let them know you're thinking of their loved one.
Is RED Friday only for military families?
Not at all. RED Friday is for everyone. You don't need a military connection to show support. Some of the most meaningful participation comes from civilians who simply choose to remember the people who protect their freedom.
How do deployed service members feel about RED Friday?
Many deployed members and their families appreciate the gesture deeply. Knowing that someone — even a stranger — took the time to wear red and remember them can be an emotional boost during one of the most challenging experiences of their lives.
Can my business or school participate in RED Friday?
Absolutely. Businesses can display RED Friday signs, encourage employees to wear red, and share messages on social media. Schools can make it a spirit day, teach students about the tradition, and facilitate letter-writing to deployed units. Community participation amplifies the message.
Keep the Tradition Going
RED Friday doesn't require money, time off, or any special resources. It just requires you to remember. And in a world that moves fast and forgets even faster, that kind of intentional remembering is rare and valuable.
So this Friday — and every Friday after — wear something red. Tell someone why. And know that somewhere, a service member overseas might see that color and feel a little less alone.
That's the power of RED Friday. It's not about politics or policy. It's about people — the ones who serve, the ones who wait, and the ones who refuse to let either group be forgotten.
Sam Silver
U.S. Army Veteran · AI-Certified REALTOR® · 22+ Years Experience
Equity Union Real Estate · CalDRE #01412755
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