In 2003, the Armed Forces Ministry and the Ministry of Sports, Youth, Popular Education and the Voluntary Sector signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which they agreed to pool the resources needed to develop sport for all. The Armed Forces-Youth Commission, a bridge between young people and the armed forces since 1955, is initiates a national "Armed Forces Youth Sports" Day. The idea is for military units to organise, in conjunction with one or more local partners, (local authorities, schools or vocational training establishments) a local sporting event between military staff and young civilians combined with a visit to the unit.

Every year since then, more than 10,000 young people have spent a Sports Day in military units, within the three services, the joint directorates and services and the Gendarmerie Nationale. As well as practising sport, they discover the values that unite sport and the armed forces: sense of citizenship, sense of effort and of surpassing oneself, respect for one's opponent and for others… These days are also an opportunity for these young people to meet and talk to top-level military athletes.

The success of these events proves the interest that young people have for the armed forces and contributes to the development of their sporting activities and to the extent of the link between sports and the armed forces.