Alot of people these days, look at Veteran's Day and Memorial Day as a day to take off work, have cookouts and have a grand old time.  They tend to treat these two days the same, when in fact they are not the same.  So, here's a little reminder of the difference between the two.

Veteran's day is a day to celebrate the sacrifices of the men and women of our armed forces who have served and those who are currently serving as well as those who have gone on before in the service of our country.

Memorial day isn't about celebrating those who have served and then returned to civilian life and are still with us.  Memorial Day is also not about those of us who are currently serving or about those who will serve in the future.  It is about remembering those who are no longer with us, who wore a uniform in service to our country.

Now, our country is by no means perfect.  It never has, and it never will be.  We have our issues as a culture made up of many cultures, and as a country. But, Memorial Day is about paying tribute and remembering those who wore a uniform and gave their life or the majority of their life to the service and protection of our country, and in doing so, gave us the ability to live in a country where many people with many backgrounds can prosper.

So on this another Veteran's Day, reflect on the sacrifices that all of our men and women in uniform have made, past, present, and future.  Take time to reflect on those who are no longer with us and their service, and take time to show appreciation to those that you recognize as having served be it family member, friend, or otherwise, and those who are currently serving, and thank them for their service.  As a retired Veteran, myself, it means more than you know.