Not only are the military personnel in Kitsap County a vital part of our nation’s defense, they are an important part of our economy and our daily lives.

The Department of Defense is the provider of more than 30,000 military and civilian jobs in Kitsap County, according to the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance. Here’s the breakdown: Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility, 653 military, 10,952 civilians; Naval Base Kitsap, 13,500 military, 4,800 civilians; Naval Hospital Bremerton, 800 military, 640 civilians.

In addition, family members of active-duty personnel, veterans and retirees work in our communities and attend local schools.

Our lives are so intertwined that “Kitsap” and the “Armed Forces” are synonymous. And we are proud of our history together. As defense continues to evolve to meet future challenges, Kitsap will be a part of that evolution.

We celebrate our Armed Forces and our relationship at Bremerton’s Armed Forces Day Parade, which begins at 10 a.m. May 21 (see the special section in this week’s Kitsap Weekly).

Bremerton’s event is the longest-running Armed Forces Day parade in the U.S. and is officially recognized by the Department of Defense.

This year’s parade grand marshal is Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. He was appointed to the position on May 27, 2015. He is the 35th commander since the fleet was established in February 1941, with headquarters at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Following the parade is the Heroes Barbecue, where free hot dogs, chips and soda are served to all active-duty, reserve, retired and veteran service personnel.

To all of our Armed Forces family, we salute you — on Armed Forces Parade day and every day.