Honoring soldiers doesn't mean agreeing with war
As the end of May approaches, people anticipate Memorial Day because it’s a day off from work or school, but does anyone remember Armed Forces Day and the difference between the two holidays? Does it matter? The holidays actually serve separate purposes. Memorial Day’s purpose is to honor those who have died in our country’s service, and Armed Forces Day is a time to honor those who work in our country’s defense. The day, which was first celebrated on May 20, 1950, was meant to combine what had been separate holidays for each branch of the armed forces. The Army, Air Force and Navy dropped their specific days and supported the new unified day. The Marine Corps League supports both Armed Forces day and its own day. On the Department of Defense website, it said there were several purposes for the first Armed Forces Day and that one of them was education. It was a type of “educational program for civilians,” one in which there would be an increased awareness of the Armed Forces. It was designed to expand public understanding of what type of job is performed and the role of the military in civilian life. We like to feel that we have an understanding of what military life is like today. However, amid the numerous adamant opinions about the war in Iraq, some people confuse who our military is with what they are doing. Do we forget the purpose of the military is to protect our country and often soldiers sacrifice years of their life to do that? Do we forget the hardships soldiers experience especially in a time of war? Do we forget they are just average Americans with spouses, children, parents and friends? Memorial Day probably puts Armed Forces Day in proper context. It reminds us what those who are actively involved in our Armed Forces are risking. In a moment they could go from being honored on the latter day to being honored on the former. Whether you agree with what they’re fighting for in Iraq now, they deserve to be honored for their purpose and the sacrifice they are making. If we only celebrate Memorial Day, and forget about Armed Forces Day, we are neglecting to honor our soldiers when they can appreciate it. Even if you don’t do anything special on May 20, Armed Forces Day, take a moment to honor the sacrifices Americans are making, and let your soldier friends know that even if we don’t understand exactly what it is like, we do appreciate them for what they are doing. http://www.defenselink.mil/afd/military/history.html http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html
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