Memorial Day vs. Veterans Day
Teresa Verity with the group Homes for Our Troops wrote the following article (May 25, 2021) explaining the difference.
Memorial Day and Veterans Day are both patriotic holidays honoring the military, but there is a significant difference between the two aside from when they land on the calendar.
Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday in May, honors the men and women who died while serving in the military. This solemn occasion is a time to reflect on these American patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting and defending the country they deeply loved. Veterans Day, observed every November 11, recognizes all who have served in the Armed Forces.
You may wonder: What is the proper way to acknowledge each holiday? On Memorial Day you can honor the fallen by attending memorial services within your community or laying flowers and planting flags on graves at your local Veterans cemetery. Veterans Day is an opportunity to do the same, but it is also an appropriate time to show your appreciation to Veteran friends and family. You can also recognize Veterans Day by flying the American flag outside your home, visiting or volunteering at a Veteran facility, attending a local event, and, of course, thanking Veterans and their families for their service.
You do not have to wait for a national holiday to show your gratitude to Service members. Any day is a good day to support Veterans either through a charity or giving a heartfelt “thank you” to those who served.
—
According to the website militarybenefits.info, aside from their different histories, origins and intentions, the biggest difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day is who each observance is for.
- Memorial Day is, as the name implies, a time to pay respect and honor those who have died while serving their country, as a result of military service, or after they have finished serving as a retired or separated veteran.
- Veterans Day honors those who have served in the past or present and also those who will serve in the future.
Moment of Silence
- Memorial Day: The National Moment of Remembrance is an annual event that asks Americans to pause for a moment of silence for a minute at 3:00 pm on Memorial Day. The 3 pm time was chosen, because it is the time when many Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday. It is intended to be a unifying act of remembrance for Americans of all ages.
- Veterans Day: The Veterans Day Moment of Silence calls on all Americans to observe two minutes of silence on Veterans Day, beginning at 3:11 pm Atlantic standard time, in honor of the service and sacrifice of veterans throughout the history of the nation. The 3:11 pm time was chose because in 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in World War I.
—
The National Moment of Remembrance Act became law in the year 2000.
The Veterans Day Moment of Silence Act become law in the year 2016.
Comments