Photos

Military family members release a lantern during the Air Force Families Forever Fallen Hero Sky Lantern Lighting on the beach in Biloxi, Miss., Sept. 24, 2021.

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Joe Fludovich embraces his family after his submarine USS Illinois returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, from a six-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific, Sept. 13, 2021.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Austin Slater reunites with his family at Naval Station Rota, Spain, Aug. 3, 2021, upon the return of the USS Roosevelt from a patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

Navy Commander Shelby Nikitin, executive officer of the guided missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, reunites with her daughter following the ship’s return from deployment to Naval Station Mayport, Fla., July 17, 2021.

Ima Black, the widow of Delbert D. Black, the first master chief petty officer of the Navy, waves from an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter to the guided missile destroyer that bears his name at Naval Station Mayport, Fla., July 21, 2021. Black, the ship sponsor of the USS Delbert D. Black, visited to celebrate her 100th birthday.

Air Force Tech Sgt. Brandon Robinson and his daughters share a quiet moment during the 2021 Technical Sergeant Promotion Party at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., July 1, 2021.

Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Anthony Henderson has his rank placed onto his uniform by his mother and wife during a promotion ceremony at Marine Corps Barracks Washington, D.C., July 1, 2021.

Army Staff Sgt. Denard Williams reunites with his family at Fort Stewart, Ga., July 2, 2021, following a nine-month deployment to South Korea.

A sailor reunites with family after the USS Mobile arrives at Naval Base San Diego, June 26, 2021.

Sarah Adams, great-grandniece of Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Shelby Treadway, receives a flag during Treadway's funeral at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, June 2, 2021. Treadway was assigned to the USS Oklahoma, which capsized during the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency recently announced the identification of his remains through DNA analysis; he was laid to rest with full military honors.

Family members wave as the fast-attack submarine USS Missouri departs from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, June 3, 2021, to participate in Exercise Agile Dagger 2021. A third of the Navy’s Pacific submarine force got underway for the exercise, which was designed to assess warfighting readiness and build capacity for the joint force.

An Army National Guardsman is reunited with his family at the National Guard Armory in Hammonton, N.J., after returning from Washington D.C., where the Guard provided security assistance around the Capitol building, May 26, 2021.

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jasmin Trias greets a loved one upon the USS Somerset’s return from a seven-month deployment to its home port of Naval Base San Diego, May 23, 2021.

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Kameron Bradley greets his family after returning to San Diego following a seven month deployment aboard the USS Somerset, May 23, 2021.

A Marine prepares to embrace his son during a homecoming event at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., May 20, 2021.

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jordyn Diomede embraces her daughter after arriving at Naval Base Guam, May 20, 2021.

Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Stan Franklin receives the traditional tacking-on of chief stripes from his children, Oliver and Olivia, during a promotion ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, May 15, 2021.

The Utah National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 222nd Field Artillery participates in a recruiting and family day live-fire artillery demonstration at Camp Williams, Utah, May 15, 2021.

Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Anthony Chavez presents a certificate of appreciation to a military child for her submission to an art contest at Duke Field, Fla., April 20, 2021. Chavez, the 919th Special Operations Wing yellow ribbon reintegration program representative, works closely with Airman and Family Readiness Center staff to provide support to airmen and their families.

Soldiers, family members and members of the community throw environmentally safe powdered paint into the air during the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program's Dash of Color 5K fun run at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, May 8, 2021.