How WtV Honors Memorial Day Might Surprise You

The people behind We the Veterans are all veterans and military family members. We have all either donned the uniform or shared lives with those who do–which can be even harder. And, when we look at Memorial Day, we see more than just a holiday. Yet, as we learned in a recent team conversation, we don’t always see eye-to-eye on exactly how this particular holiday is to be recognized. 

So, we thought we’d use this opportunity to ask you what Memorial Day means to you and how you recognize the holiday, if you do at all. 

We’re offering a short poll to all of our subscribers. So, click here to tell us what you think…. And read on to see what our team thought. You might be surprised.

At We the Veterans, we all agree on one thing. Memorial Day is not Veterans Day. So, for anyone who believes that this weekend should be used to thank veterans or military family members for their service to the country, we respectfully disagree. As one of our veterans put it, “Don’t thank me for my service on Memorial Day; I’m still alive. Save that for November.” 

Of course, we hope Americans feel empowered to thank any veteran or military family member on any day of the year, including this Monday. But we hope the public understands that Memorial Day was created to honor those who died while in service to their country, and they should be top of mind when you think about the holiday.

Yet another veteran pointed out that even though the US’s involvement in active combat operations has ceased in recent years, 17 veterans still die by suicide each day. “They must be counted in those who we are remembering and honoring on Memorial Day,” he said, explaining that he uses the holiday to call attention to the epidemic of veteran suicide and hopes to get others to think about suicide deaths the same way they think about those killed in combat. 

And lest we forget our own mission, one of our employees, who is the daughter of a veteran, pointed out that what we do at We the Veterans on a daily basis gives respect to those who have given the last full measure of devotion for our country. “By engaging and empowering veterans and their family members to help build a more perfect union, we are carrying forward the ideals fought for by those we call to mind on Memorial Day.”

So, who’s right?  

Should we say “Happy Memorial Day!” and light the grill, or should we remain solemn and respectful of those who died for our freedoms? The answer is that we should all feel empowered to recognize Memorial Day in the way that suits us. As long as you don’t forget the reason for the holiday, the way you chose to honor our fallen service members and veterans is up to you. 

So, whether you honor, celebate, call attention, or give respect on Memorial Day, thank you for taking the time to think through what you're doing. That, alone means so much to so many veterans and military family members, and to those no longer with us. 

If you haven’t already, let us know what you think!. What is Memorial Day to you? Click here to share your thoughts.