Special Days to Honor Our Service Members

For many citizens, the distinction between Memorial Day and Veterans Day is fuzzy, both are similarly viewed as occasions for parades, flags, and a day off from work.

Man in wheelchair at Memorial Day Flag Field But the difference between the two matters, especially to families of service members: Memorial Day is meant to honor the dead, while Veterans Day celebrates the living.

Memorial Day, first called “Decoration Day,” was conceived by a group of Union Army veterans after the Civil War ended as a day to lay flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers. Bouquets and evergreens from public gardens and the President’s Conservatory and Treasury gardens were placed throughout Arlington National Cemetery on May 30, 1868 during a ceremony attended by thousands. In 1971, Memorial Day was expanded by Congress to honor all soldiers who have died in service to the country.

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Veteran’s Day marks a celebration of millions of living veterans in the United States and around the world, a day of honor that originates from a day of peace. On November 11, 1918 — at the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day of the eleventh month–a cease fire was declared between the Allied forces and Germany. Until World War II, Armistice Day celebrated the veterans of World War I with public meetings and a two-minute suspension of business at 11 a.m. In 1954, the newly renamed Veterans Day became a day to honor veterans of all wars.

There are many ways to honor the fallen. You can take a walk through your local veterans’ cemetery. You can learn about Gold Star Families. You can participate in a Memorial Day walk or running race. You can learn about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Or simply brush up on your Memorial Day knowledge.

Both days are equally important to honor our service members and acknowledge the great sacrifices they have made.