Do you think Americans have lost the true meaning of Memorial Day?

Yes, all of our holidays are over commercialized. However, I find that most folks over 40 have outgrown the party hats and take time to consider the meaning. More specifically about Memorial Day and Veterans Day, our younger active duty, reserve and veteran men and women almost universally appreciate the reasons behind the holiday and will usually take some time to reflect.
I think that the decision by the Federal government to make most holidays fall on a Monday might make sense for business, but it diminishes the reason for the season and pushes toward "just another 3-day weekend." I refuse to celebrate Presidents Day, but do take a moment on February 12th to think of Mr Lincoln and again on February 22d to honor the Father of our Country.
And much too little thought went into establishing Martin Luther King Day. Combining Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays at the same time as establishing MLK Day was an invitation to politicize it. It's very hard to find a sensible answer when some local redneck asks me, "Why does he get his own holiday when Washington and Lincoln don't?" As great a man as MLK was, why don't we have a Harriet Tubman Day or a Thurgood Marshall Day? It seems to me that, in what I hope was a sincere attempt to honor a great man, we've in some ways reduced him to a token.
I not only despise, but active fight the commercialization of our holidays in my small way. Each June, I start my list of businesses commercializing Christmas and take my business elsewhere. I don't mind a Christmas sale any time after Thanksgiving, but before that and you've lost my business. I like my holidays one at a time with feeling.

Even though my ex was military, he always had to to camping. It wasn't until after the divorce that I could start going to the cemetery for our ceremony for Memorial Day. I wasn't even allowed to join the American Legion until after the divorce. I just LOVE being able to honor our fallen today and give them the respect that they deserve. Only about 1% of the population is/has been military (if I got my figures right) so most people just don't truly grasp/understand our military service and the "why" behind our caring for Memorial Day.

Agreed. Whether religious or civil makes no difference, it seems; just another excuse to "party hearty".

For most they are a long weekend or a extra day off, With others they mean retail sales.

Well said Capt Mark Strobl

very true

When you mentioned volunteerism, reminds me of a gal who used to work for me. She would say that if she wasn't paid for something, she wasn't doing it. But then she was a very self-centered person... She just couldn't understand why I give of my free time.

Kind of a good reason to reinstitute a draft, don't you think? Men and women, serve the country, as military, peace corps or City Year type programs.

SSgt Cynthia Hamilton - The draft was a good thing at one time. When the people in America where better and not as self centered. It is hard enough to get good people in now. We get a big amount of trash that some how makes it in. Most get weeded out however some how there is still some that stay even make it up the food chain and retire. I think that the draft at this time would only bring down the quality of people we get.

SGT Charles Bartell not if everyone had to serve. Our problem in the 60s was that too many capable folks were allowed to weasel out.