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So yesterday was National Armed Forces Day. Did anyone even know? Did anyone bother to care?
I hope so.
I'm sure some proud Americans remembered the day (the third Saturday of May during Armed Forces Week.) And they hung their flag outdoors for all to see. To display their patriotism. As an expression of their "thanks" to those who are enlisted in our Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Space Force.
Good for them.
But for most of us, the day went by ... unnoticed.
How sad. How sad that we know of the day when a groundhog is supposed to dictate our forecast. And we know of the day the calendar demands everyone run out to purchase flowers and chocolates so we can profess our love toward someone who actually should be shown this affection every day.
But Armed Forces Day? Well, that's not a big one. That isn't one we usually recall.
It's supposed to be a day where our country unites (are we even capable of uniting anymore unless some catastrophic incident occurs, of course?) and gets behind our military. A day to utter, "Thank you" -- two simple words, to the ones who puts on their uniform, silently realizing it may be the last time they do so. And this isn't done in vain. This isn't done for fame. They do this for us. For all Americans. How do we not remember this day? How do we not unite for that?
Perhaps on the next Armed Forces Day, we will remember. Perhaps some will even go out and volunteer for a veteran organization that supports those who are deployed. Perhaps we will take a few minutes and instead of making another Tik Tok video or swiping right for Friday-night date, we will actually educate ourselves about each branch and ask questions to learn about our own family's military history. Perhaps.
Now Memorial Day on the other hand, that's a holiday. That one is just around the corner. One we always seem to remember. I mean, radio stations are playing the top 500 songs of all-time over the course of the weekend; almost everyone will be getting the day off from work; picnics are being planned and swimming pools are preparing to open for the season; carefully-planned red, white and blue outfits are coming together for a lot of the teenagers so as to acquire as many compliments and "likes" as possible on social media. Yes, we all remember Memorial Day.
If only that was what the day was really about.
How did some of us forget that Memorial Day is intended to be a day in which we acknowledge the integrity of these soldiers who didn't get to come home? How did we forget it is supposed to be a day to reflect on the millions of servicemen and women who wanted this country to remain a place where we could wake up free to do what we want to instead of being told what to do by some power-tripping, government-run dictator? That this was far more important to them than their own life? That this is why they fought? That this is why they died? That this is the reason behind Memorial Day. How did we forget?
Ask yourself what you will do when you wake up next Monday? Will you remember them? Or will you let the day go by listening to a music countdown while eating chicken by the pool, never bothering to once look up to the heavens and whisper, "Thank you?"
Don't get me wrong, I truly believe most Americans are grateful for our military, love our country and respect our flag and all that it stands for.
But to the ones who do not, I will never understand nor comprehend.
Remember when football players knelt during the singing of the national anthem?
When players opted to kneel, it was then that I stood.
I stood (and still stand) for my son. That 19-year-old boy who opted to surrender the only youth he will ever have and risk his very life in order to protect you. In order to protect me. In order to protect the ones who kneel. In order to honor and protect the purpose of that flag -- our title deed of freedom.
And I stood (and will stand) for my father, a Vietnam veteran who was the recipient of two purple-hearts and a bronze star with valor for his heroism. A man who at the end of his life did not have the strength to even sit up because he was dying from the cancer which coursed throughout his body -- a result of exposure to agent orange during that war.
I stand, and will keep on standing for them all.
As for Armed Forces Day, maybe one day that will be a more memorable date on the calendar.
And to those who serve and have served … I thank you.