Nothing is better than Veterans’ Day. American students rejoice when they don't have to drag themselves to school, even if it's just for one day. Adults sigh with relief the evening before as they are allowed to forget about setting their alarm clocks for the next morning. Many look forward to taking advantage of special sales in stores and online. Similarly, Memorial Day allows for a three day weekend "vacation" that gives the first tempting hint of the summer ahead and is also marked by incredible store sales. But something is terribly wrong with this picture. Why should we be preoccupied with holiday sales and extra vacation days when this is clearly not the purpose of the day? We tend to forget that the purpose of these federal holidays is to commemorate those who have fallen while protecting the safety of our citizens and our allies and defending the democratic ideals of our country. Memorial Day and Veterans Day should be days for working citizens and studious children to take a break from their daily routines, but these nationally designated holidays should mean more to us than just an opportunity for leisure. These "commemoration" days should be observed by all Americans with their original intended purpose in mind: Memorial Day as a time of reflection, mourning, and appreciation of those who sacrificed their lives for this country and Veterans Day as a day to acknowledge all of those who have fought in the U.S. armed forces and who have put their lives at risk in order to ensure the safety of all citizens. As Americans, we have the utmost pride in the freedoms and democracy which are special to our country, and should demonstrate this passion. The existence of these two holidays in which brave men and women are admired and appreciated for their selflessness and bravery demonstrates America’s uniqueness. These morals and values should be instilled in our modern day society.

     Since its founding in 1776, the United States of America has always been characterized as the “land of the free and the home of the brave.” The values of freedom, sacrifice, and bravery are reflected in many aspects of American society, especially in the numbers of our men and women who have sacrificed their lives to defend such values. America has fought and lost men and women in twelve official wars. These include the Revolutionary War, the two World Wars, and the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. According to statistics collected by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, there have been close to 42 million men and women who pledged loyalty to the armed forces. Approximately one million of these U.S. military servicemen lost their lives in battle. As of September 2010, there were roughly seventeen million living war veterans. These numbers demonstrate the profound significance of the U.S. military in American society with its objectives of defending human rights, democracy, and freedom worldwide, and the great patriotism of those who are willing to put their lives on the line for our country.

     Memorial Day, recognized earlier in American history as Decoration Day, has been an official day of commemoration since 1868. Local gatherings and memorial services had already been taking place before the holiday was officially recognized. John A. Logan, a general in the Union Army and later a U.S. senator, declared that Decoration Day would fall on May 30th each year. Decoration Day, conceived three years after the Civil War’s conclusion, was initially a day on which the graves of those who had fallen in the Civil War were decorated by friends, families, and other respectful visitors. After World War I, the holiday came to memorialize all fallen soldiers of all American wars . In 1971, under the jurisdiction of President Nixon, the holiday gained significance when Decoration Day was renamed Memorial Day and became a federal holiday. It was also decided at that time that Memorial Day would be recognized on the last Monday of May instead of on May 30th. Since then, many towns and communities have held parades and prayer services, in which members of the military, as well as other defense, security, and public safety servicemen and women, are also recognized for their valor. Unfortunately, this day and its honorees are still not given their due respect.

     Similarly, Veteran’s Day carries a rich history. Armistice Day, announced by President Wilson on November 11th, 1919, marked the initial termination of belligerence in World War I. Wilson declared this day in order to honor the heroes who fell in the “War to End All Wars”, but also to serve as a reminder of the values of peace, democracy, and freedom that are entrenched in American life. In 1938, Armistice Day officially became a legal holiday. When World War II later proved to be one of the most devastating wars for America, President Eisenhower proposed and executed the amendment of the act legalizing Armistice Day, renaming it “Veterans Day”. A veteran, as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, is one who is an ex-serviceman. This move by Eisenhower signified the shift in the intent of the holiday to honor all veterans of all American wars, not just those who sacrificed their lives in World War I. An attempt in 1968 to make the holiday similar to Memorial Day, by having it occur on a Monday each year, failed. In 1971, President Gerald Ford reassured the dissatisfied American public that the holiday would always be recognized on November 11th , but honored on a Monday or Friday if it landed on a weekend. However if it landed on a weekend, government affairs and other organizations would hold memorials and services on that day. Although this change focused more attention on the commemoration rather than the “vacation” feel of a three day weekend, this holiday too is deserving of more respect than it receives.

     All United States citizens should be reminded of the meaning of these two days which were created in order to remember and honor those who fought for our existence, survival, and well-being. Unfortunately, in our modern American society, the underlying historical and cultural significance of these days is concealed by commercial and other recreational interests. Veterans Day, and especially Memorial Day, are days on which most online and brick and mortar stores host sales. According to Akamai Technologies, online garment retail sales rise by 61% on Memorial Day . Yes, our capitalist economy can use the extra boost through more consumerism and manufacturing. However, these sales steal the attention away from the intended meaning of the holidays. We Americans lose our focus and tend to forget the meaningful substance behind these federal vacation days. Most of us don’t even dedicate a minute of our time to honoring our brave servicemen and women during the year, let alone on these holidays. Family getaways and the classic American “Memorial Day Weekend Barbeque” are certainly understandable and enjoyable. However, at the same time, there should always be some recognition of the importance of the day.

I do not expect all Americans to dedicate the entire holiday to studying history books or watching ten documentaries on World War II. But I propose that people dedicate an hour at a veterans’ center, spend two hours watching a film about our wars, attend a memorial service or museum for a little while, or just spend ten minutes thinking about the heroism underlying this day. These are a few simple ways in which American citizens can make their own connection to these holidays and honor our servicemen and women with all the respect they merit. I propose that schoolteachers mandate that students watch a short film or read an article about veterans of American wars or stories about other American heroes. Even a moment of silence, with sixty seconds of halted television programs, no advertisements and stopped traffic, would be effective.

Our generation of American youth must become more knowledgeable about our country’s history, and feel a greater connection to these important days. Respect for these important days and remembrance of our heroes can be a truly unique experience for each individual. John can read an essay about the Civil War while Elizabeth volunteers an hour at the veterans’ center. When the next Memorial Day rolls around and beaches and town pools reopen for the season, remember to appreciate and honor those who have made sacrifices in order to preserve our freedom. Finally, we must also honor, in our hearts and in our minds, the soldiers and other defense personnel still serving in uniform, who confront our enemies abroad so that we don’t face them at home.

Works Cited
http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/factsheets/fs_americas_wars.pdf
www.internetretailer.com/2010/06/01/daily-online-data-akamai
http://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/history.asp