Denmark celebrates its soldiers on flag-flying day for deployed personnel on September 5th. Historically, Denmark does not have a tradition for celebrating military accomplishments, and for many years it seemed against the national soul to openly acknowledge military contributions or personal achievements amongst soldiers. Instead, it was looked upon as inappropriate to commemorate events that involved suffering and hurt, and the morally appropriate perception seemed to be that soldiers should be satisfied with a personal knowledge of having done one’s duty in the face of necessity.
Since the end of The Cold War the attitude towards recognition of soldiers has changed, as the country’s engagement in military conflicts has created a growing pool of veterans. Denmark has instituted several medals in appreciation of individual service, and as the result of a grassroots initiative the annual national flag-flying day for deployed personnel was established in 2009.
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