Why It's Awkward to Thank Veterans on Memorial Day

Capt Dwayne Conyers I don't think it is ackward at all when I'm laying a rose at the foot of the veterans and service members tomb stone to say the following:

"Gracious, Sovereign God, Lord of all nations,

On this Memorial Day, we pause to reflect upon our blessings as a nation and the high cost of those blessings for many.

Thank you for those who have given their lives in service to our country, sacrificing in such a costly way for the sake of others and those who served to maintain our freedom that are no longer with us, Amen"

Just my opinion!


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While I commonly don't go out on the official Memorial Day Weekends, I do get stuck at home looking at pictures of my friends and family who are no longer to my left or right. That will change next year since I am trying to remain on post with my family before I take flight.

Until then, I'll talk to my mom about the friends she lost and who I lost. One beer for Chief. I miss you.

Thanks for sharing the opinion of Eric Milzarski Capt Dwayne Conyers. He certainly is entitled to his opinion which I think is summarized "Yes, the gratitude is always welcomed, but Memorial Day isn’t the time. If prompted, nearly every veteran will give a polite response along the lines of, 'thank you for your sentiment, but today is not my day.' "
According to his viewpoint - taken to a logical extreme - there is nobody to thank since all the honored are dead.
Thanking people who are laying flowers or placing flags by tombstones on Memorial Day Weekend is perfectly reasonable - that thanks is appropriate for the actions performed that day.
Veterans grieving fallen comrades-in-arms may be grateful for a thank you, embarrassed, or possibly depressed that they are alive and their friends are not.

We are instructed by God to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. Some people grieve by celebrating and I don't begrudge young people from looking forward to going to the swimming pools [northern states - including Virginia open the public pool on Memorial day weekend].
Having a cookout is also a reasonable way to celebrate Memorial Day IMHO. If the dead were with us most would enjoy spending time at a cookout with family and friends.

Thank you for alerting me COL Mikel J. Burroughs

LORD we each need help to show our love for YOU which YOU direct us to show by loving our neighbor. Help us to be gracious this weekend and to honor those we interact with - whether or not they share our honor for war dead. I pray that YOU will cause unity to spread and disruption to be minimized. We need YOUR help to have fun and to help others have fun - even while we grieve.

FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SSG John Ross SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SrA Christopher Wright Cpl Gabriel F.