Federal & Training Holidays

Updated: January 3, 2024

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 2024 Federal and Training Holidays, Family Days, and military 4-day weekend calendars.

Fiscal Year 2024 Federal Holidays

  • New Year’s Day — Sunday, Jan. 1, 2024, but observed Monday, Jan. 2, 2024
  • Martin Luther King Jr Day — Monday, Jan. 15, 2024
  • Presidents’ Day — Monday, Feb. 19, 2024
  • Memorial Day — Monday, May 27, 2024
  • Juneteenth — Wednesday, June 19, 2024
  • Independence Day — Thursday, July 4, 2024
  • Labor Day — Monday, Sept. 2, 2024
  • Columbus Day — Monday, Oct. 14, 2024
  • Veterans Day — Monday, Nov. 11, 2024
  • Thanksgiving Day — Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024
  • Christmas Day — Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024

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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 2024 Army Training Holiday Observances

  • Dec. 29, 2023 — Friday before. New Year’s Day
  • Jan. 12, 2024 — Friday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • Feb. 16, 2024 — Friday before Washington’s Birthday
  • March 29, 2024 — USACASCOM Spring Holiday
  • May 24, 2024 — Friday before Memorial Day
  • June 20, 2024 — Thursday after Juneteenth National Independence Day
  • July 5, 2024 — Friday after Independence Day
  • Aug. 30, 2024 — Friday before Labor Day

Fiscal 2024 Army Four-Day Weekends

  • New Year’s weekend — Friday, Dec. 29, 2023-Monday, Jan. 2, 2024
  • Martin Luther King Jr Day — Friday, Jan. 12-Monday Jan. 15, 2024
  • Presidents’ Day weekend — Friday, Feb. 16-Monday, Feb. 19, 2024
  • Memorial Day weekend — Friday, May 24-Monday, May 27, 2024
  • Independence Day weekend — Thursday, July 4-Sunday, July 7, 2024 (observed starting on Thursday, July 4, 2024)
  • Labor Day weekend — Friday, August 30-Monday, Sept. 2, 2024

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 2024 Air Education and Training Command Family Days

  • Friday, May 24, 2024
  • Wednesday, June 19, 2024
  • Friday, July 5, 2024
  • Friday, Aug. 30, 2024
  • Friday, Oct. 11, 2024
  • Friday, Nov. 8, 2024
  • Friday, Nov. 29, 2024
  • Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024
  • Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024

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.

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Navy Fiscal Year 2024 Holiday Observation Guidance

The following dates reflect the Navy’s 2024 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, 2024 (observed Dec. 29, 2023 – Jan. 1, 2024)
  • Martin Luther King Jr Day — Monday, Jan. 15, 2024 (Observed Jan. 12-Jan. 15, 2024)
  • Presidents’ Day — Monday, Feb. 19, 2024 (Observed Feb. 16-Feb. 19,2024)
  • Memorial Day — Monday, May 27, 2024 (Observed May 24 – May 27, 2024)
  • Juneteenth — Wednesday, June 19, 2024
  • Independence Day — Thursday, July 4, 2024 (Observed July 4 – July 7, 2024)
  • Labor Day — Monday, Sept. 2, 2024 (Observed Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2024)
  • Columbus Day — Monday, Oct. 14, 2024 (Observed Oct. 11-Oct. 14, 2024)
  • Veterans Day — Monday, Nov. 11, 2024 (Observed Nov. 8-Nov. 11, 2024)
  • Thanksgiving Day — Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024 (Observed Nov. 28-Dec. 2, 2024)
  • Christmas Day — Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (Observed Dec. 25-Dec. 26, 2024)
  • New Year’s Day — Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025

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

Written by Tamila McDonald

Tamila McDonald is a U.S. Army veteran with 20 years of service, including five years as a military financial advisor. After retiring from the Army, she spent eight years as an AFCPE-certified personal financial advisor for wounded warriors and their families. Now she writes about personal finance and benefits programs for Veteran.com.

Edited by Veteran.com Team