After you call, visit or #memorialize your favorite #veteran(s) on Memorial Day, a cookout is the perfect way to launch the summer with family and friends. To make it truly memorable, give your gathering a festive theme, The Spruce suggests. Good menu options include Southern barbecue, craft-beer tasting, hot dog/burger bar, and (for maximum potluck potential) “You bring it, we grill it.” Add some outdoor games such as cornhole, croquet or badminton to work off those cookout calories, and let the summer fun begin! #MemorialDay
Tag: honoring veterans
Celebrate the Start of Summer
The unofficial start to #summer, Memorial Day is ideal for a family activity, even if it’s just a short road trip or staycation. Celebrate those who gave their lives for the country by paying your respects at a cemetery, flying the flag, and making red-white-and-blue treats for a picnic or cookout, Country Living suggests. Parades are another great option, as are quick jaunts to a beach, park or nature preserve. It was a long and likely stressful winter, so take advantage of the extended weekend and — as Grandma used to say — go get some air in your fur. #MemorialDay
Honoring Veterans on Memorial Day
Established to honor those who lost their lives in service to the country, Memorial Day is a great time to honor living #veterans, too. Good Housekeeping suggests spending some of your long weekend shopping at a veteran-owned business or streaming one of the Storycorps oral histories presented by active-duty military members and veterans. You can also #donate to the #Vietnam Veterans of America and ClothingDonations.org, Building Homes for Heroes, and other nonprofits that help U.S. military veterans access food, housing, health care and other necessities every day of the year. #MemorialDay
Celebrating National Vietnam War Veterans Day
Next Tuesday, March 29, is National Vietnam War Veterans Day. Why March 29? Because on March 29, 1973, Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) was disbanded and the last U.S. combat troops departed the Republic of Vietnam.
Vietnam veterans first got their own holiday the following year — even before the fall of Saigon in 1975 — thanks to President Richard Nixon, who declared March 29 Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. But not until 2012 did the push for a national observance get underway.
That year, President Obama issued a proclamation calling upon all Americans to observe March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day with programs, ceremonies and other activities that commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War.
“One of the most painful chapters in our history was Vietnam — particularly how we treated our troops who served there,” President Obama said in his remarks. “You were often blamed for a war you didn’t start, when you should have been commended for serving your country with valor.”
In 2017, National Vietnam War Veterans Day was established as an official observance. Now in its fifth year, National Vietnam War Veterans Day is the occasion for hundreds of celebrations and events nationwide — all held to thank and honor Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.
More than 3.2 million people served between Nov. 1, 1955 and May 15, 1975. But those numbers are dwindling: More than 500 Vietnam veterans pass every day, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. So the time to thank them is now.
Take some time out in the next couple weeks to observe National Vietnam War Veterans Day by visiting a veterans memorial or attending a commemorative event; thanking a Vietnam veteran personally with a call, card or visit; or volunteering your time with a veterans organization.
You can also donate your used clothing and household goods to ClothingDoanations.org year-round to fund programs that help honor those who served by staging commemorative events and offering direct assistance when needed. The nation’s veterans thank you for your support!
Celebrate Wreaths Across America Day With VVA
Saturday, Dec. 18, is now officially Wreaths Across America Day thanks to the passage of a Senate resolution introduced by Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King. It’s the first national recognition of a movement that has been active for three decades, placing wreaths on the graves of veterans nationwide during the holiday season.
“We have Veterans Day in the fall and Memorial Day in the spring, but our service members sacrifice their time and safety every single day of the year to preserve our freedoms,” Wreaths Across America (WAA) says. “In many homes, there is an empty seat for one who is serving or one who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. There is no better time to express our appreciation than during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.”
Wreaths Across America began 30 years ago when Maine wreathmaker Morrill Worcester delivered 5,000 wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia as a gesture of thanks to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting their country. This year, a convoy of Gold Star families, veterans and well-wishers will transport 12 truckloads of wreaths to the national cemetery, making stops at multiple events along the way.
“For those who have had the opportunity to participate in the escort of wreaths over the years, it is truly an experience of a lifetime,” says Karen Worcester, WAA’s executive director. “This year, we’re hoping that supporters will once again join us in lining the roadways safely and welcome the mission into their communities.”
If you can’t make it to Arlington or a location along the convoy route, consider joining one of the more than 3,100 Wreaths Across America events to be held across the country on Dec. 18. Vietnam Veterans of America chapters help stage many local WAA functions each year as part of their civic fundraising efforts.
“Wreaths Across America is a powerful demonstration of respect and appreciation for our veterans — both those that we’ve lost and those still with us,” Sens. Collins and King said in a joint statement. “We are so proud that this heartfelt expression of gratitude originated in our great state and has become an enduring symbol of our nation’s gratitude for veterans’ valor and sacrifice.”
Visit Wreaths Across America to find out more, sponsor a wreath or get involved at the local level. Visit VVA on the web to find out about nearby chapter initiatives and #donate. And consider #donating to ClothingDonations.org this holiday season. The nation’s #veterans and veteran families appreciate the recognition and support. Happy Holidays!