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Contact: Eileen Andes, 701-623-4466 Contact: Joshua Bernick, 701-623-4466
Honoring our Military Personnel To show appreciation for those who serve in the U.S. Military, on May 19 - Armed Forces Day - the National Park Service bagan issuing an annual pass offering free entrance to Theodore Roosevelt and all 397 national parks for active duty military members and their dependents. Active duty members of the U.S. Military and their dependents can pick up their pass at any park entrance station. They must show a current, valid military identification card to obtain their pass. More information is available at www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm. This version of the "America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass" also permits free entrance for military personnel and their families to sites managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Forest Service. The pass is also available at these locations. "Through the years, military members, especially those far from home in times of conflict, have found inspiration in America's patriotic icons and majestic landscapes, places like the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon that are cared for by the National Park Service and symbolize the nation that their sacrifices protect," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. "This new pass is a way to thank military members and their families for their service and their sacrifices." The military and the National Park Service have ties that date back to the establishment of the world's first National Park established in 1872: Yellowstone.For the first 44 years the U.S. Cavalry watched over America's national parks and did double duty, serving as soldiers and the first park rangers until the National Park Service was created in 1916.During World War II, many parks were set aside for the training and care of military personnel. Today, dozens of national parks commemorate military battles and achievements. -NPS- |
Last updated: April 10, 2015