Graphic Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force

Today is the day when we celebrate the service of those brave men and women who have given their time, courage, and bravery in service of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

You salute you, not just today, but every day.

Thank you for your service and all you do – and continue to do – for our nation.

Patriots, please take time today to remember and thank a soldier who served in these operations. Too often, we take these people for granted and now is the time to recognize the amazing service they’ve given to our country and to all of us.

In one of our previous posts, we took you through some of the greatest movies about Marines. Now, we’re going to branch out (literally) and cover some of our favorite films that showcase the United States Army. If you’re looking for something to watch on military movie night, all of these movies would be great to choose from:

Saving Private Ryan: Pretty much everyone knows that Tom Hanks is an excellent actor and this film further cemented his ability to to move audiences. Saving Private Ryan is set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II and follows the search for a paratrooper as the last surviving brother of his family.

Platoon: The film that launched Charlie Sheen’s career and won the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1986, Platoon is part of director Oliver Stone’s Vietnam War trilogy (including Born on the Fourth of July and Heaven & Earth) and is based on his own experiences as a U.S. infantryman in Vietnam. Starring Sheen, Willem Defoe, and Tom Berenger.

Apocalypse Now: This epic war film is set during the Vietnam War and follows US Army special operations officer Captain Benjamin L. Willard (Martin Sheen) on his mission to kill a renegade Special Forces Colonel played by Marlon Brandon in arguably one of the most critically acclaimed movies about the Vietnam War. This film was added to the National Film Registry in 2000 for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.

Good Morning, Vietnam: Starring Robin Williams, this war-comedy film is based on the experiences of Armed Forces Radio Service radio DJ Adrian Cronauer as he delights the troops with his broadcasts and infuriates his superiors in the midst of the Vietnam War in Saigon in 1965.

We Were Soldiers: Based on the book We Were Soldiers Once…And Young by Lieutenant General (Ret.) Hal Moore and reporter Joseph L. Galloway, this film stars Mel Gibson and portrays the Battle of Ia Drang on November 14, 1965.

Glory: Featuring Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, and Denzel Washington, this classic tells the story of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the first formal unit of the US Army to be made up of entirely African American men, as told from the perspective of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, its commanding officer during the Civil War.

Patton: Known best for its opening monologue, Patton serves as a biographical take on U.S. General George S. Patton’s service and leadership during World War II. In fact, this film is so good, it’s been preserved by the Library Congress as part of the United States National Film Registry.

Have a movie you’d love to see on this list? Share it with us in the comments!

The Sundance film festival is something movie buffs look forward to every year, but this year, there’s a new military documentary that’s earning a lot of buzz – and rightfully so.

Until They Are Home is a documentary that tells the story of the World War II Battle of Tarawa and the U.S. military’s attempt to recover the remains of marines left behind in 2010. It’s not an official Sundance selection, but the filmmaker Steven Barber has brought it to Park City, Utah for several free screenings, which has picked up quite a bit of buzz.

Barber’s start of the documentary features an interview with actor Eddie Albert, who was actually a hero of Tarawa, saving the lives of many fellow marines. This interview is what sparked the documentary about the 1943 battle where more than 1,100 American died over a period of just tree days. 527 Marines were left behind on Betio, an island in the Pacific as a result of the battle. The Joint Prisoners of War, Missing in Action Accounting Command (JPAC) recovery teams held six digs to recover the remains of those left behind. Those digs are what the documentary covers, as well as the history behind the effort.

If you ask us, Sundance needs more films like this. Celebrating and documenting our nation’s military is important – and while we’ve seen a number of great films in the past few years celebrating our troops, there’s always room for more.

To learn more about this film, visit: www.untiltheyarehome.com

To get you into the holiday spirit, we’re turning to those brave men and women in uniform. If you’ve been feeling like the Grinch this Christmas, take a moment to pause and give thanks to those who serve. These are the people who are protecting you day in and day out. They don’t get days off for Christmas. They don’t get to go home to a turkey dinner just because it’s 5:00 p.m. They serve tirelessly and honorably and they deserve our respect – and thanks. But, in the spirit of the season, we also want to celebrate the kindness these brave men and women share with the world.

Here are some of our favorite holiday videos featuring our military. Enjoy them and remember – these people should be celebrated not just on Christmas, but every day of the year!

Patriots, today, we take a moment to celebrate those who serve and who have served our great nation. The strength, courage, and excellence of our veterans help to make us who we are as Americans. It is our hope that today, and every day, we take time to say, “thank you.”

Today, take time to say “thank you” to a veteran in your life. Write a letter to a veteran or a soldier currently serving. Volunteer your time at a VA hospital. Make a donation to a military charity, like the Oscar Mike Foundation, or another cause dedicated to helping soldiers and their families. Visit a museum. Say the Pledge of Allegiance. Display a flag on your front porch. Take a moment of silence. Shake the hand of a soldier you see on the street or in the supermarket.

Whatever it is, take that action to honor and celebrate Veteran’s Day. It may seem little, but it counts. Oh, believe us, patriots. It most definitely counts.

Seeing a soldier reunite with the ones he loves can just make any day feel better. As we all gear up for a long holiday weekend (break out the brews and BBQ), start the break off right with some awesome videos of soldiers surprising their loved ones. Have a great Labor Day weekend!

If you’ve been keeping an eye on the news lately, you may have heard about a letter written by Marine Sgt. William C. Stacey, 23, who was killed Jan. 31 on a remote hillside in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. The letter, which was written to his family, has been widely referenced and quoted by numerous politicians, news media, and soldiers.

The letter itself is moving, but it holds a much greater message.

“My death did not change the world; it may be tough for you to justify its meaning at all,” wrote Sgt. Stacey, who joined the Marines in 2006 and signed up again in 2011.

“But there is a greater meaning,” Stacey wrote. “Perhaps there is still injustice in the world. But there will be a child who will live because men left the security they enjoyed in their home country to come to his. And this child will learn in the new schools that have been built…. He will grow into a fine man who will pursue every opportunity his heart could desire.”

“He will have the gift of freedom, which I have enjoyed for so long. If my life buys the safety of a child who will one day change the world, then I know that it was all worth it.”

Back in November, Sgt. Stacey’s courage and skills on the battlefield were captured by war correspondent Lawrence Dabney.

“Sgt. William Stacey is the sort of Marine that war films are made about. Unflappable, assured, and grimly competent, he is charismatic in spite of the ridiculous mustache that he and half the Corps seem to sport,” Dabney wrote after a firefight documented on the Faster Times’ website.

He wrote this final letter for his family, as so many soldiers often do in case they are killed.

As Los Angeles Times reporter Robert Winton wrote, “Multi-star generals attended his Arlington National Cemetery funeral. His name adorns a fighter jet. His words echo in the halls of Congress.”

Read more about Sgt. William Stacey’s letter: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-william-stacey-20120701,0,3013530.story

Rest in peace, Sgt. Will Stacey. Your words continue to inspire us all.

Chances are, you’re probably logged into Facebook. Whether you’re farming, creeping on a classmate’s photos, or just updating your status, there’s one place on Facebook that we’d love for you to visit: the official Facebook page of Patriot Surplus.

What will you find there? Well, it really depends on the day. Some days, we’ll be posting military news. Other days, we share jokes, inspirational sayings, photos, or videos. And of course, we always keep you posted on any events happening in our store, new items, big developments on our site, sales, coupons, etc…you know the drill.

But besides all of the things that we post, the most important element of our Facebook page is you. That’s right. You. Our customers, our friends, and our supporters. You are what make it possible for us to do business and we love when you take the time to stop in, say “hello”, and share your experience with us. Think of our Facebook page as just another area of our storefront. You can pop in, chat with us, and share your perspective along with our other customers (trust us – we get GREAT conversations going on FB!).

If you haven’t added us on Facebook yet, be sure to check us out here: http://www.facebook.com/patriotsurplus