Federal & Training Holidays

Servicemembers and their families look forward to yearly federal and training holidays. These often give them time for much need rest and relaxation. Here are FY 2023 Federal and Training Holidays, Family Days, and military 4-day weekend calendars.

Fiscal Year 2023 Federal Holidays

• New Year’s Day — Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, but observed Monday, Jan. 2, 2023
• Martin Luther King Jr Day — Monday, Jan. 16, 2023
• Presidents’ Day — Monday, Feb. 20, 2023
• Memorial Day — Monday, May 29, 2023
• Juneteenth — Monday, June 19, 2023
• Independence Day — Tuesday, July 4, 2023
• Labor Day — Monday, Sept. 4, 2023
• Columbus Day — Monday, Oct. 9, 2023
• Veterans Day — Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, but observed Friday, November 10, 2023
• Thanksgiving Day — Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023
• Christmas Day — Monday, Dec. 25, 2023

Army Training Holiday Observances

These days vary by unit. There may be more or fewer training holidays than listed below. Soldiers should always confirm with their local chain of command whether or not they have a federal or training holiday off, as they are not guaranteed.

Fiscal 2023 Army Training Holiday Observances

• Dec. 30, 2022 — Friday before. New Year’s Day
• Jan. 13, 2023 — Friday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Feb. 17, 2023 — Friday before Washington’s Birthday
• April 7, 2023 — USACASCOM Spring Holiday
• May 26, 2023 — Friday before Memorial Day
• June 16, 2023 — Friday before Juneteenth National Independence Day
• July 3, 2023 — Monday before Independence Day
• Sept. 1, 2023 — Friday before Labor Day

Fiscal 2023 Army Four-Day Weekends

• New Year’s weekend — Friday, Dec. 30, 2022-Monday, Jan. 2, 2023
• Martin Luther King Jr Day — Friday, Jan. 13-Monday Jan. 16, 2023
• Presidents’ Day weekend — Friday, Feb. 17-Monday, Feb. 20, 2023
• Memorial Day weekend — Friday, May 26-Monday, May 29, 2023
• Independence Day weekend — Saturday, July 1-Tuesday, July 4, 2023
• Labor Day weekend — Friday, Sept. 1-Monday, Sept. 4, 2023

The U.S. Army observes U.S. federal holidays and typically authorizes a training holiday to coincide with each federal holiday to provide four-day weekends. These are called days of no-scheduled activity, or DONSAs, and can be impacted by training and mission requirements. Always confirm with your chain of command if you will have these or other days off.

Holiday Season/Holiday Block Leave

During the two weeks around the end-of-year holidays, the armed forces typically remain operational (half or full-day schedule based on mission requirements), except for Christmas and New Year’s days off and designated training holidays.

Army “Christmas Exodus”

The Army typically shuts down basic training and advanced individual training schools. The Navy and Air Force typically shut down job schools but do not shut down basic training.

The 10-day break generally starts a week before Christmas and lasts until a week after Christmas. The “exodus” allows drill sergeants and basic training staff members to spend the holidays with their families.

Soldiers may choose whether to take a break and go home or stay at basic training and work on details during the 10-day period. Any taken leave comes out of soldiers’ leave entitlement, and transportation costs home and back are not covered, according to a 2014 explanation from the U.S. Army Future Soldier Center.

Air Force 2023 Air Education and Training Command Family Days

• Friday, Dec. 30, 2022
• Friday, May 26, 2023
• Friday, June 16, 2023
• Monday, July 3, 2023
• Friday, Sept. 1, 2023
• Friday, Oct. 6, 2023
• Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023
• Friday, Nov. 24, 2023
• Friday, Dec. 22, 2023
• Friday, Dec. 29, 2023

Most offices on Air Force installations are closed on these days, and some services, including medical, recreation, shopping, and dining, are on restricted schedules. Many installations will close some gates as well. Check with your local installation for details. For military members required to perform duty during these holidays, commanders are encouraged to grant compensatory time off during the first week following the holiday, mission requirements permitting, according to a 2022 Air Force memo.

Navy Fiscal Year 2023 Holiday Observation Guidance

The following dates reflect the Navy’s 2023 holiday schedule. They will be updated when the Navy publishes its updated holiday observance calendar (usually in January).

• New Year’s Day — Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023 (observed Dec. 30 – Jan. 2, 2023)
• Martin Luther King Jr Day — Monday, Jan. 16, 2023
• Presidents’ Day — Monday, Feb. 20, 2023
• Spring Holiday — Friday, April 7, 2023
• Memorial Day — Monday, May 29, 2023 (Observed May 26 – May 29, 2023)
• Juneteenth — Monday, June 19, 2023
• Independence Day — Tuesday, July 4, 2023 (Observed July 3 – July 4, 2023)
• Labor Day — Monday, Sept. 4, 2023

Always confirm with your chain of command if you will have these or other days off.