In reading my e mails and posts on some forums I frequent as well as talking to friends and relatives I get the impression that many (sometimes myself included) tend to confuse and or combine Memorial Day and Veterans Day. This is not a bad thing but something that should be thought about when we celebrate these 2 days.
Memorial Day
A day in which we honor those who gave their lives while serving our nation. Not necessarily those who died in combat but ALL who died while serving, whether from a bomb, bullet, vehicle accident, or disease.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day
Veterans Day
This is a day to honor all who have served in the armed forces of the United States
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterans_Day
What is a veteran?
Often there is some confusion as to exactly who is entitled to be labeled a veteran. The answer may surprise some.
It is contained in:
The definition of "veteran" is in Title 38, USC, 101. It says, in part:
The term ?veteran? means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.
The key words above are ?in part? and some of it may surprise you.
Included are Active and reserve duty members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and the respective National Guardsmen) as well as commissioned officers of the National Public Health Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
While I could not find reference to them I also suspect it includes Merchant Marines who served during specific time periods. It is also my impression that the term veteran for the purposes of memorial and Veterans Day is applied to Civil war Veterans from both sides.
There is also a Confederate Memorial day. It is officially recognized and celebrated in 9 States.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_Memorial_Day
In the Wikipedia article you can see that Confederate Veterans are included in our current celebration of Memorial Day.
Also key is that anyone who received a dishonorable discharge is not entitled to consider themselves a veteran.
While the above may seem to some as trivial minutiae it is food for thought on this day as we drink beer, munch barbecue and pay tribute to America?s fallen heroes?