I recall the days when American military veterans were derided and spit on in the street. As a live veteran, I would say that any day of the year is a good day to acknowledge those who have served. I appreciate it. Those who died won't take offense.
I grew up in Atlanta. I have wept at Confederate graves as well as at Lincoln's tomb. War is awful.
Decades ago, in Luxembourg, I followed signs to an American military cemetery, surprised that one would be there. I wandered through the gravestones--some were crosses, some Stars of David. Most striking were the ages of those who had died. They were so young. There were about five thousands of them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxembourg_American_Cemetery_and_Memorial
I noticed one grave apart from the rest, between two flagpoles at the head of the cemetery. My immediate thought was that it looked like that grave was commanding all the others. I walked over to it, and read the stone: "General George S. Patton, Jr."
These were the dead of just one battle. And just the American dead. A little over a mile away is Sandweiler German war cemetery. It contains the graves of twice as many very young soldiers who died in the very same battle. As I've said, war is awful. Young men and women don't make policy, don't choose their country of birth, and don't declare wars. But they are the ones who die, mostly. Unjust wars and just wars--young men and women on the "right" side and the "wrong" side serve their countries, and sometimes die.
I honor them all. Not their governments or their strategic rationale. To serve honorably is not defined by politics.
Honoring those who served as well as those who died is too great an obligation to be confined to 1/365 of our lives.
Bob
