I am thankful for our Armed Forces, the men and women who swore an oath to defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Who put themselves in harm’s way to protect our rights.
President Harry S Truman led the effort to establish this holiday for citizens to come together and thank military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.
A bit of nit picking on my part:
Armed Forces Day ( May 18) is to honor those currently serving. Veteran’s Day (Nov 11) is for honoring those who have served. Memorial Day honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
while I am truly grateful for those who acknowledge my service whenever they thank me, I have to admit a bit of…annoyance? that the purpose of these various holidays seems to be getting all mixed up.
This point is this: thank them while you have the chance:
The Active Duty folks you see in the airport today might be coming home in a flag draped coffin. Sad, but all too true. We don’t know.
The Veteran you see, perhaps hobbling through Wal-Mart, might not wake up tomorrow morning–WWII and Korea (for example) were a long time ago.
On Memorial Day, it’s too late to thank the service member for their service. So be sure to look for their survivors: family, friends, comrades in arms–and thank them for their sacrifice.
