Veteran’s
day is another poor excuse for some companies and most schools to take the day off.
And for what? Do children and adults even acknowledge this day? When people enjoying
their days off do you really think that the heroic acts of the Veterans who
have served the United States really come to their minds?
The answer should be no because not
many people even know what Veteran’s Day is. In a recent survey by military,
only about 55% of Americans know what Memorial Day is supposed to represent
(May 21, 2019). From this sample alone, it can be generalized that only half of
the American population understands what Memorial Day is. Now, I’m here talking
about Veterans Day, so what does this have to do with Memorial Day? Well, if
Americans are confused about Memorial Day, there is a very strong likelihood
they may confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day as those two government
recognized holidays are very similar. Just to give a brief difference between the
two days, Memorial Day is a day when you should honor the fallen by attending
memorial services and laying flowers and showing respect to the graves of the
fallen soldiers. Veteran’s Day on the other hand, is a day when a household
should fly the American Flag and go to local events and facilities to volunteer
or thank the veterans for service.
However, recent reports have shown
that just thanking veterans are not enough. What does it actually mean to thank
veterans? Does it mean physically going up to them and saying “thank you for
your service?” Or does it mean silently showing your respect and nod and acknowledge
any veterans that pass by? According to an article by Tareq Haddad, he wrote
that, “49% of active and former members of the armed services feel uneasy with
the expression ‘Thank you for your service’” (Newsweek, 2019). Well, what does
that exactly mean? Shouldn’t veterans feel appreciated when you hear the words “thank
you?” Shouldn’t anybody feel appreciated when those words are uttered. From the
same article, it was discussed that veterans want to feel more of that
appreciation. Instead of saying “thank you,” veterans want to feel connected at
a more personal level. Each veteran is different such as you and I are
different. Thus, every different veteran has different approaches and views on their
service. Therefore, instead of just saying the two-word phrase, ask about their
service. Ask them about what the government should do to improve their lives. Just
show a little more respect and care for people who have fought for the United
States.
Having said that, it may also not be
too wise to ask veterans anything. Some veterans may be diagnosed with Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. It was researched that, “As many as 500,000
U.S. troops who served in these wars over the past 13 years have been diagnosed
with PTSD” (NCBI, 2016). PTSD is a very real and crippling disease which
affects the cognition of the veterans. Therefore, by asking about the war and
their past service, might stir up some unwanted memories and cause the veterans
to feel uncomfortable or uneasy. To remedy this, instead of just asking about
the war, ask first if they are willing to talk about the war.
All these steps and ways of thanking
and recognizing our veterans is probably going to be lost and/or ignored in the
lists and columns of articles about Veteran’s Day. However, if this does happen
to get read and you, the reader, learn nothing from this, take away the fact
that Veteran’s Day and any other patriotic holiday should be something
recognized throughout the year. People don’t just transform into veterans on
Veteran’s Day. Those who have served will always be veterans no matter what day
it is. So, if you have friends or family members who are veterans, make sure to
let them know everyday how much they mean to you. These Veterans didn’t ask for
a holiday to be made for them. All they asked for was the war to be over and to
get back to their family and loved ones. For the ones who did realize this wish
and are still with us today, always remember the ones who fell on the
battlefield with that wish. Happy Veteran’s Day.
Sources:
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/05/21/only-55-americans-know-why-nation-marks-memorial-day-survey-finds.html
https://www.newsweek.com/veterans-thank-you-service-veterans-day-support-1470776
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5047000/
