With the US at peace, citizens owe honor to our brave troops

Unlike any Memorial Day since the turn of the century, today’s solemn holiday will be observed without the United States actively engaged in full-scale warfare in a foreign land. As of last December, America and our NATO coalition partners formally ended formal military engagement in Afghanistan, the longest U.S.-initiated war in American history.

Yes, for the first time since 2000, it is peacetime in America. But it is no time to downplay the significance of today’s holiday – memorializing the 1.3 million U.S. war dead from Crispus Attucks killed March 5, 1770, in the Revolutionary War to Army Specialist Martin J. Wyatt, killed in hostile action Dec. 12, 2014, in Parwan Province in the waning days of the War in Afghanistan.

Wyatt was one of 2,356 Americans killed and 19,950 wounded in the 14-year-long Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan waged to avenge the terrorist group al-Qaida for its Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that killed 2,977 Americans and wounded more than 6,000 others.

Operation Enduring Freedom stood as the code name for the War in Afghanistan. But in broader terms, it also stands as the trademark of our democracy. To protect and to enable our individual freedoms and personal liberties to endure, military might often must be mustered. Indeed, the U.S. has been involved in warfare 90 percent of its 239-year history.

On this day, it is therefore incumbent upon all freedom-loving Americans to properly observe Memorial Day by pausing to remember and thank Attucks, Wyatt and all of the other valiant warriors between them who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the American way.

MEMORIAL DAY CORRUPTED

Sadly, however, for far too many of us, Memorial Day’s primary purpose has been cheapened and corrupted. The day has become one to celebrate the unofficial start of summer, a day to fire up that shiny new grill for outdoor barbecues or a day to rush to the nearest big-box store to save $300 on a new flat-screen TV.

Others tend to confuse today’s holiday with Veterans Day in November. Veterans Day marks a nation’s homage to all men and women – living and dead – who have served in the armed forces in the nation’s 10 major wars. Memorial Day is different. It is the day that a grateful nation has set aside to solemnly and soberly remember and honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

Sacrifice and selflessness indeed are the watchwords of today’s national holiday. That’s why it’s so incredibly important that we take time out today from sunning, grilling and shopping to pause long enough to recognize Memorial Day’s true intent. Here are just a few ways to do so:

Proudly display an American flag at your home or business.

Attend any of a number of Memorial Day parades and events throughout the Mahoning Valley. Among the most popular are parades at 10 a.m. in Boardman and 10:30 a.m. in Austintown.

Take part with friends and family members in the National Moment of Remembrance. This event of national unity encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time for one minute of silence, honor and reflection about those who have died in service to our nation.

As Moment of Remembrance Founder Carmella La Spada put it, “It’s one way all of us can help put the memorial back in Memorial Day.”