I have worked  with veterans and lived with a combat veteran for more than 20 years.
Let me be clear.  Veterans Day and Memorial Day are two separate days
of honor.  Veterans Day is for the living and all those who have served and Memorial Day is a tribute to those who have fallen.  To those who have paid the ultimate sacrafice.  There is
some similiarties in many cases, however.  Some soldiers did not
die on the battlefield but are dying at home from service connected
injuries.  Many are neglected by the VA and too many have been treated
poorly by healthcare providers.

They fight in wars that Chickenhawks set up and then fight more Chickenhawks to gain access to their benefits.

My husband once said to me that he died over there but just hasn't laid down yet.  I agree.  The boy who went and bought into propoganda thought
there was a constitution to protect and they left their families
and many not all have stood honorably and obeyed orders only to be
exposed to Agen orange, or Depleted uranium, or electrictuion, or all
kinds of terror and no amount of training can train a person to go
unschathed at killing another or watching a buddy blown to bits.

I have seen the good Americans as they are called.  Some of those with
yellow stickers that say "We support the Troops', and call out people
for not wearing flag pins, hold a huge barbecue and fill the car up with
gas and head to the beach for a 3 day weekend.  I have seen them not
bother to put a flag on a community grave where a slain soldier has
been laid to rest.  I have watched these same people talk up patriotism
and not even thank a veteran who in all probablility having a very difficult day getting through Memorial Day weekend as memories and flashbacks haunt their minds of what happened either yesterday, two months ago or 40 years ago because time has stood still to a degree for
that soldier.

The soldier leaves the war but the war never leaves the soldier.
Today our sewer system backed up and my husband is having difficulty
walking and sleeping.  He is 100 percent disabled.  I have not heard from
one person today to ask how he is doing.  I guess they are out for chicken
and planning that little fishing trip.  I never got it.  What is there to
celebrate on memorial day?  It is like celebrating a funeral.

They fight to maintain their benefits.  Many die in the process.

It is a difficult time for those who have borne the battle, especially
those who have issues such as PTSD.  They are so affected by guilt of
their fallen friends in arms, they too died some on foreign soil.  

Remember a veteran and remember those who paid the ultimate sacrafice and
those who are mourning over that sacarfice.

If you have a picnic, take time to think of or thank a veteran because
on Memorial day, Veterans do have a hard time dealing with their memories.
This day was set aside to remember and so many do not.