Every November, Americans observe Veterans Day with ceremonies, parades, speeches and expressions of gratitude.
Businesses offer free meals and discounts, schools invite veterans to speak, and communities gather to recognize the men and women who wore the uniform of the United States.
Veterans Day should be a celebration – but it must remain a celebration of service rather than another excuse for commercial advertising.
Veterans Day and Memorial Day are both important national observances, but they serve very different purposes.
Veterans Day, observed on November 11, honors everyone who served honorably in the United States Armed Forces.
It recognizes veterans from every military branch, whether they served during war or peace, at home or overseas.
Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday in May, is a solemn day of remembrance for military personnel who died while serving the country.
Veterans Day says, “Thank you for serving.”
Memorial Day says, “We remember those who never came home.”
That distinction should guide how each day is observed.
Memorial Day should not be treated as a shopping holiday, party weekend or celebration of summer.
Veterans Day, however, appropriately includes parades, public recognition and events celebrating the contributions of living veterans.
It is a day when Americans can shake a veteran’s hand, listen to stories of service and demonstrate that the nation has not forgotten those who answered its call.
Nevada has a special responsibility to observe Veterans Day properly.
Our state is home to veterans from every generation and every branch of service.
Nevada has strong military ties through Nellis Air Force Base, Creech Air Force Base, Naval Air Station Fallon and the Nevada National Guard.
From Las Vegas and Reno to Pahrump, Elko and Nevada’s smaller rural communities, veterans continue to serve as business owners, teachers, law-enforcement officers, first responders, public officials, volunteers and community leaders.
Their service did not necessarily end when they removed the uniform.
Veterans Day should provide more than applause and patriotic speeches. Nevada’s elected officials should use the occasion to address the challenges veterans face throughout the year.
These include access to health care, mental-health services, housing, employment, transportation and assistance navigating the Department of Veterans Affairs.
For veterans living in rural Nevada, receiving care can require traveling long distances.
Older and disabled veterans may face additional transportation barriers.
Others struggle to obtain appointments, understand benefits or prove that medical conditions are connected to their military service.
Thanking veterans one day each year means little if government agencies neglect them during the remaining 364.
Businesses can play a constructive role.
A complimentary meal or veterans’ discount can be a sincere expression of gratitude when it is offered respectfully. Unlike Memorial Day promotions that use the sacrifices of the dead to sell merchandise, Veterans Day offers can directly benefit living veterans.
However, businesses should be careful not to turn veterans into marketing props. A company should not spend more advertising its Veterans Day promotion than it contributes to veterans.
The most meaningful support includes hiring veterans, accommodating service-connected disabilities, supporting veteran-owned businesses and contributing to organizations with proven records of helping military families.
Nevada schools should also teach the meaning of Veterans Day.
Students should understand that veterans are not abstract historical figures. They are neighbors, relatives and members of the community.
Schools can invite local veterans to discuss their experiences, preserve oral histories and explain the responsibilities that accompany freedom.
Armed Forces Day honors those currently serving. Veterans Day honors those who served and returned to civilian life. Memorial Day honors those who died in service to the nation.
Each observance has a distinct purpose, and confusing them diminishes their meaning.
Veterans Day should be joyful, respectful and grateful.
Attend a parade. Visit a veterans’ home. Support a veteran-owned business. Listen to a veteran’s story. Help someone file a benefits claim or get to a medical appointment.
Most importantly, remember that honoring veterans cannot be limited to one day.
Nevada should thank its veterans on November 11 – and stand beside them throughout the entire year.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. Digital technology may have been used in the research, writing, or production of this article. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
