Red Friday (Remember Everyone Deployed)
“Red Friday” is a tradition that people should wear red on Friday to support the military, with “RED” standing for “Remember Everyone Deployed.”
The tradition began in 2003, with the Iraq War. On January 9, 2003, letters in The Times-Independent (Moab, UT) and Ithaca (NY) Journal urged people to wear red on Fridays to protest against any war. A message on the newsgroup alt.war.vietnam urged waearing red on Fridays to support U.S. troops. In the spring of 2006, Lisa Miller and Karen Boire promoted the tradition in Canada to wear red on Fridays to support the troops, with “Red Shirt Fridays.” Lloyd (Doc) Hofmeister started the website redshirtfridays.org in the United States.
This “Remember Everyone Deployed” (“RED”) acrostic was posted on Facebook by SUPPORT CANADIAN SOLDIERS of the PAST and PRESENT !! - Gerald Koch on September 6, 2007:
“tommorow is red friday
Remember
Everyone
Deployed
Fallen
Remembered
Independence
Duty
Assignment
Yourself”
Wikipedia: Remember Everyone Deployed
Remember Everyone Deployed (also known as RED or Red Friday) is a concept of honoring United States military service members currently deployed overseas.
Remember Everyone Deployed is believed to have originated in April 2015 with students at Mansfield University. They wore red-colored clothing on Fridays as a way to let all deployed service members know that they are remembered and appreciated.
Newspapers.com
9 January 2003, The Times-Independent (Moab, UT), “Letters to the Editor: We’re having another peace march,” pg. A5, col. 2:
Please join us and help prevent this “political war.” Granny D asks us to wear Red on Fridays to show the growing anti-war movement.
Bruce Harrison
Moab
Newspapers.com
9 January 2003, Ithaca (NY) Journal, “Our Readers Write,” pg. 9A, col. 6:
How about if we start asking people to wear something red each Friday as a sign they are opposed to the Bush Adminsitration’s warmongering and its attack on our Bill of Rights?
(...)
Doris Haddock
Town of Ithaca
Google Groups: alt.war.vietnam
You won’t believe this !
moresicofit
Mar 28, 2003, 6:52:38 PM
Bob,
Screw the Yellow ribbons. No one can tell you
what to wear ! I’ve a Blood Red Corduroy shirt
with a ’ Supporter of Canadian Vets’ patch.
I got it way back from Dom Rotondo.
I’ve not written him yet, one time we corresponded
many times by snail mail.
From: Chester
Veterans of Special Operation request that you Wear RED on Friday’s
to reflect that you are a RED BLOODED AMERICAN and you SUPPORT the TROOPS.
“C”
Chester
Delta Recon 69-70
MEMO: THIS WILL BE A VISUAL ITEM OF SUPPORT FOR OUR TROOPS. I RECOMMEND THE GUYS WEAR A RED SHIRT, NO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE LAIDES. BTW, I’M WEARING A RED SHIRT TODAY AND KATHY IS WEARING A RED DRESS. A VISUAL STAND IN SUPPORT AND CAN YOU IMAGINE THE PROTESTERS SURROUNDED BY LOTS OF RED SHIRTS….RLNoe.
Newspapers.com
9 April 2003, Coeur d’Alene (ID) Press, “Veterans seek red-blooded patriots” by Mark Stewart, pg. A1, col. 2:
COEUR d’ALENE—Dusty Rhoads is leading the charge of the red-shirt brigade.
Even if his wife would like to call the fashion police.
The retired Kootenai County sheriff’s deputy wants everyone to wear red shirts on Friday to support U.S. troops fighting overseas.
Google Groups: soc.retirement
I’m wearing red on Friday
Villager5
Apr 10, 2003, 12:37:02 PM
to
Wear Something Red on Friday
I’m wearing red on Friday!!!
Wear Something Red on Friday.
It has come to my attention that quite a few Americans support our
troops but as usual we are the silent majority. We are not organized to
really reflect who we are. I would like to start a grass roots movement
using the membership of the Special Operations Association and the
Special Forces Association to recognize Americans who support our
troops.
My idea is not to stand on street corners once or twice, not to carry
stupid signs in a rally, not to carry our flag in parades. Its much
simpler than that. We need to inform the local VFW’s and American
Legion, our local press, local TV, and even up to the national levels as
we start to get this going. My idea of showing our solidarity and
support for our troops is that starting Friday and continuing on each
and every Friday, that we and every red blooded American who supports
our young men and women, WEAR SOMETHING RED.
Word of mouth, press, TV, lets see if we can make the United States, on
any given Friday, a sea of red much like a home football game at the
University of Nebraska. If everyone of our memberships share this with
other acquaintances, fellow workers, drinking buddies, country club
friends, I guarantee you that it will not be long before the USA will be
covered in Red much to the disdain of the un-American ralliers.
Lets get the word out and lead by example, wear RED on Fridays.
Thanks for your time and consideration of my proposal.
Google Groups: nebr.sports.unl
Fwd: Wear Red On Fridays
Lynette Tillne
Jul 6, 2004, 10:24:24 PM
This was sent to me from a friend who now lives in Texas. I wonder if
she realized it referrs to the Universities of Nebraska and
Oklahoma??
Join the Sea of Red to support the troops!
LT
this was sent to me from a friend in D.C.
gdm
Wish I could take credit for this idea, but it’s not mine. We plan
to do this EVERY Friday until all our troops return home. It has
come to my attention that quite a few Americans support our troops,
but as usual, we’re the silent majority. We are not “organized” to
really reflect who we are, nor our opinions.
We would like to start a grass roots movement using the membership
of the Special Operations Association and the Special Forces
Association to recognize Americans who support our troops.
My idea is not to stand on street corners once or twice, not to
carry stupid signs in a rally, not to carry our flag in parades. Its
much simpler than that. We need to inform the local VFW’s and
American Legion, our local press, local TV, and even continue
carrying the message up to the national levels as we start to get
this going. Our idea of showing our solidarity and support for our
troops is that starting Friday and continuing on each and every
Friday, that we and every red blooded American who supports our
young men and women, WEAR SOMETHING RED.
Word of mouth, press, TV - let’s see if we can make the United
States, on any given Friday, a sea of red much like a home football
game at OHIO STATE, the University of Oklahoma or University of
Nebraska. If every one of our memberships share this with other
acquaintances, fellow workers, country club friends, neighbors, I
guarantee you that it will not be long before the USA will be covered
in RED - much to the disdain of the un-American ralliers.
Let’s get the word out and lead by example; wear RED on Fridays.
Thanks for your time and consideration of my proposal. I intend to
send this out to everyone on my e-mail list; hopefully you will too.
Please forward this to everyone you know!!
Google Groups: rec.crafts.scrapbooks
Way OT: Wear Red for the Troops
M-C
Oct 30, 2004, 11:53:21 PM
I just received this email has anyone else? Will you be wearing red next
Friday?
>Please wear red on Friday
The Americans who support our troops, are the silent majority. We are not
“organized” to reflect who we are, nor to reflect what our opinions are. We
would like to start a grass roots movement using the membership of the
Special Operations Association, and Special ForcesAssociations, and all
their friends, simply, to recognize that Americans support our troops.
We need to inform the local VFW’s and American Legion, our local press,
local TV, and continue carrying the message to the national levels as we
begin to get this going. Our idea of showing our solidarity and support for
our troops is - - -
Starting Friday, and continuing on each and every Friday, until this is
over, that every red- blooded American who supports our young men and women,
WEAR SOMETHING RED.
Word of mouth, press, TV—let’s see if we can make the United States, on
any given Friday, a sea of red much like a home football game at a
University.
If every one of our memberships share 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.
Let’s get the word out and lead by example; wear RED on Fridays.
I sent this out to everyone on my email list; hopefully, you will too.
Please forward this to everyone you know!!
.... Wear Red on Fridays ....
Snopes
Wear Red on Friday
Will wearing red on Fridays show support for U.S. troops overseas?
David Mikkelson
Published June 23, 2005
Last updated: 17 March 2011
(...)
In the spring of 2006, a “wear red on Fridays to show support for the troops” crusade began developing in Canada after Lisa Miller and Karen Boire, the wives of two Canadian servicemen, thought to adapt the 2005 American exhortation quoted above to Canadians serving overseas and post the revamped suggestion to their web site, MarriedToTheCanadianForces.com. Their “Red Fridays” movement has been widely publicized and has proved to be very popular among military and non-military families alike. On 23 September 2006, thousands clad in red attended such a rally led by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Parliament Hill.
Facebook
Red Friday ·
Jessica Buettner McDaniel ·
December 12, 2006 at 12:18 AM ·
hey, guys, I just wanted to say that this group is great. My boyfriend, Matt, is currently stationed with the 3-1 marines in Pendleton and I have been doing Red Friday for a while now, and think it is a great idea. You dont have to support the war, or the cause, but atleast support the men and women that are sacrificing themselves for your freedom and safety. Matt will be going on his second deployment within the next couple of months and it really helps to know that there are people out there that support him, and I love him with all my heart.
Thanks again for the great group!
Semper Fi!
Facebook
SUPPORT CANADIAN SOLDIERS of the PAST and PRESENT !! ·
Gerald Koch ·
September 6, 2007 at 9:51 PM ·
tommorow is red friday
Remember
Everyone
Deployed
Fallen
Remembered
Independence
Duty
Assignment
Yourself
Facebook
Don’t Support Our Troops? Think About This ·
Martha Lou ·
September 30, 2007 at 6:30 PM ·
hey everyone. my brother was deployed a week ago today. i just wanted to let everyone know about something I found out about that weekend that i didn’t even know existed. there is something called red shirt friday—basically wearing red on fridays shows your support for the shirt. my shirt actually says “I support our troops (red shirt fridays)” and i can’t even begin to explain some of the looks i got for wearing this shirt. it really made me realize what some of the soldiers may feel like when people make comments at them.
Facebook
Red Fridays ·
Michael Brown
November 15, 2007 at 2:36 AM ·
Many of us have friends that are fighting for our country and many that are about to be deployed to fight. I ask you all to please wear red on every friday and pray for our troops to make it home safely.
X/Twitter
Thankasoldier
@ThankASoldier
Reminding everyone to wear Red tomorrow as its RED Friday Remember Everyone Deployed
12:51 AM · Apr 17, 2009
Newspapers.com
11 July 2009, The Star-Phoenix (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), “Crowds expected to soar at last air show” by Ashleigh Mattern, pg. A3, col. 2:
A new event is the Red Shirt Friday Rally, organized by Beverly Skaalrud of the Central Saskatchewan Military Resource Centre. Standing for Remember Everyone Deplayed, ...
X/Twitter
Lea Ann Patton
@autsmama98
Hey everybody don’t forget tomorrow is RED Friday, wear red to R=Remember E=Everyone D= Deployed!
9:48 PM · Jul 23, 2009
X/Twitter
Thankasoldier
@ThankASoldier
Tomorrow is Red Friday, Don’t forget to wear something Red to Remember everyone Deployed, at home & Their families
11:06 PM · Jul 23, 2009
X/Twitter
Military Pro LLC
@MilitaryPro
Have you heard of RED Friday? (RED = Remember Everyone Deployed) Take a look at http://ow.ly/lAdU for more info.
2:47 PM · Aug 27, 2009
X/Twitter
Lisa and Karen
@RedFridayLadies
- It’s RED FRIDAY and only one more week until Christmas! I know all of you will have our deployed troops and their… http://bit.ly/8uN8Pm
7:10 AM · Dec 18, 2009
X/Twitter
SoldiersAngels
@soldiersangels
WEAR “RED” FRIDAY. R.E.D. Remember Everyone Deployed. PIXT US a photo of YOU wearing RED. A random photo will… http://fb.me/Z6PITxhO
10:29 AM · Dec 30, 2011
X/Twitter
Lydia Brewer
@LifeLibertyLove
Friends, it’s RED Friday again. Remember Everyone Deployed! #RedNationRising
12:33 AM · Dec 29, 2012
X/Twitter
RED Friday
@REDFriday
@16WAPTNews help us get the word out to Remember Everyone Deployed by wearing red on RED Friday.
10:18 PM · Dec 28, 2013
Google Groups: world_wide_with_god_minstry4
VISN 05 - VA Maryland Health Care System - Twitter Feed Update
VA Maryland Health Care System
Mar 7, 2014, 8:37:07 PM
(...)
VAMarylandHealthCare mdvagov 07 Mar
Remember. Everyone. Deployed. Did you wear red today on R.E.D. Friday? http://t.co/XmRd4VlFNk
Angel Blog
Where Did R.E.D. Friday Come From?
October 10, 2014
(...)
Sometime in 2006, the RED Campaign was adopted in Canada by Lisa Miller and Karen Boier; the wives of two Canadian servicemen. Their purpose was to spread nationwide support of Canadians overseas. The color red worked perfectly because Canadian’s official color is red. Their RED Shirt Friday campaigns were organized as rallies that spread across Canada.
Eventually, a guy by the name of Lloyd (Doc) Hofmeister became involved in the Canadian RED Shirt Fridays and decided to take it [back] to America. Lloyd started a website called redshirtfridays.org because, “I [Lloyd] know what it is like to be half a world away from your life, to feel that no one cares, and to come home to be humiliated and ashamed of your service.”
Military.com
This Is How ‘RED Friday’ Became a Thing and Why It Still Matters Today
We Are The Mighty | By Eric Milzarski
Published October 22, 2018
(..)
There are actually two competing origin stories of this unofficial trend. The first says it all began in 2005 with a specific email that recipients were supposed to forward to others.
(...)
In March, 2006, another more-tangible movement began in Canada that implored subscribers to wear red to support the troops who are deployed. Now, there’s no telling if this movement got its start from the previously-mentioned email chain, but they do credit it as being an “American initiative.”
Military spouses Lisa Miller and Karen Boier organized an event and rallied many of their fellow Canadians to show up wearing red. While the “RED” is the color that fits the acronym, it also happens to work perfectly with the Canadian flag.
The Daily News (Jacksonville, NC)
Remember Everyone Deployed driven by passion, purpose to support military communities
Calvin Shomaker, The Daily News Jun 2, 2021
(...)
R.E.D. isn’t just for the Jacksonville community, where it was started and is based. It’s growing across the nation, according to Gloria De Paul, who founded R.E.D. in 2016 and has since moved to Florida where she continues to run the organization.
(Trademark)
Mark: REMEMBER EVERYONE DEPLOYED
Application Filing Date: May 18, 2016
Status Date: Nov. 03, 2017
Date Abandoned: Oct. 05, 2017