One day each January, Colorado lawmakers gather to celebrate our military. But the incredible impact of these servicemembers and their families is felt all year round, throughout the state.
Major General H. Michael Edwards, the Adjutant General for Colorado, participates in the 2015 Colorado Military Appreciation event at the state capitol.
On Friday, January 29, Colorado lawmakers will step back from their normal duties to honor our state’s current and former military personnel. The annual celebration will be attended by active duty and veteran military personnel from across Colorado. It is an event that is sadly overlooked by many, but does so much to let our military know their sacrifices are appreciated. For our staff, it is a celebration that is never missed.
Here are five reasons why we celebrate Colorado’s Military Appreciation Day:
- Colorado is home to over 50,000 active servicemembers and over 400,000 veterans. Along with their families, this represents over 10% of the state’s total population
- Colorado’s aerospace industry sector ranks third out of 50 states in total private-sector employment
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Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jonathan Licuanan and Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Ryan Mahany take turns piloting a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Licuanan and Mahany are students at the Colorado National Guard’s High-altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site in Gypsum, Colo. (Illustrative photo by Deborah Grigsby)
The Colorado National Guard hosts the High Altitude Training site in Edwards, CO providing valuable training for all units preparing for service in Afghanistan
- While the majority of the state’s DoD employees live in El Paso, Arapahoe and Weld counties, there are approximately 24,000 DdD-related jobs outside of these three areas. Twenty Colorado counties enjoy DoD employment in the triple digit range
- Annual estimates by the Colorado Department of Military Affairs (DMVA) puts the total economic impact of military in Colorado at $27 billion
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