Armed Forces Day 2025: a time to show our support, but also to reflect

The annual celebration of our Armed Forces will take place on Saturday 28 June. This is very much a time to celebrate and show support to our serving and veterans’ communities and their families. 

The Irwin Mitchell Armed Forces Team will be out to mark the occasion, attending the military family day in Plymouth, alongside an expected audience of 45,000 people.

A time to recognise and reflect

While this is an opportunity to recognise and show appreciation to our Armed Forces, as specialist military injury lawyers, we know how important it is to also reflect on the risks and dangers our military face. Current international events and the geo-political climate mean that the threat levels around the world are constantly changing. 

Recent events affecting our military

The UK Defence Spending Review has been a turning point for our Armed Forces in the last few weeks. Not since the end of the Cold War have we seen such a commitment to investing in our military. 

The review, led by former Defence secretary and secretary-general of the NATO alliance Lord George Robertson, shifted the emphasis to our Armed Forces being on “War Fighting Readiness.” This means stepping up preparations for war, with an estimate that a Russian attack on NATO could come in the next two to three years. 

There are, however, awkward issues around the amount of money required to step up to battle readiness. The plan is to spend 2.5% of annual national output in the short term, and 3% by 2034. But that's a long wait and is likely to depend on the economic climate at the time.

Thank, celebrate and support our Armed Forces

One thing is certain though: our Armed Forces will always deliver and rise to any task or challenge they are set, in the UK or abroad. 

This is why, on 28 June, we should very much thank, celebrate and support our amazing Armed Forces and the veterans' communities.