Memorial Day Redux

Another Veteran's View

As I begin to type this, the time is 2111 Zulu, 26 May 2024. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve started, deleted, and restarted. The difficulty isn’t due to my share of grief and sadness this holiday weekend, and I do have my own share in it.

No, I’m wondering if I genuinely have anything worthwhile to say on the topic of Memorial Day that hasn’t already been said, or that could potentially be of help to someone. As far as something that hasn’t already been said, the answer is “probably not,” and as to whether it’s helpful, well you be the judge of that.

I’m going to talk about “threes.” As I write this, it’s still the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. I’ve been home from Mass for a few hours now, with the dogma and its implications still weighing on my mind. I think it’s given me something I can write about for Memorial Day.

Borrowing a Trinitarian explanation, Memorial Day is not Armed Forces Day is not Veterans Day, but all are Days that honor military servicemembers.

In the United States, we have three separate holidays of remembrance focused on the American military, and they often get treated as interchangeable. Well, they’re not.

I don’t write this to be pedantic. It’s not a “grumpy veteran” post where I berate people for enjoying a three-day weekend or getting in some well-deserved beach time. I too am enjoying the three-day weekend and getting some beach time, so I have no leg to stand on there, and besides, I think too many of us veterans seem far more interested in scoring points than modeling the behavior we’d like to see more of in our fellow citizens.

(I mean, I might berate your choice of beverage, or if you claim to “barbecue” when all you really do is grill, but that’s beside the point).

No, instead let’s look at the three days, and see what they specifically honor, and how that ought to influence us as we celebrate them and think about them. The stories behind them are as fascinating and often as complicated as the history of Church feast days, celebrations, and calendars.

Citations below are from this link.

“Armed Forces Day:

Armed Forces Day is observed on the third Saturday in May and is different from the two other holidays because this day focuses on those who are currently in uniform (emphasis added) and serving the nation.

First created in 1949, Armed Forces Day is actually a combination of holidays that celebrated the Army, Navy and Air Force, according to nonprofit United Service Organizations.”

“Memorial Day:

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May. The purpose of Memorial Day is to remember the Americans who died while serving our country. (Emphasis added).

Memorial Day, first known as Decoration Day, was observed first after the Civil War. The Memorial Day that we now know became a federal holiday in 1971. This day is also an unofficial marker of the start of summer.”

(Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Amphitheater)

“Veterans Day:

Veterans Day is November 11 and was first observed in 1919. This day is meant to honor all those who served and continue to serve our country.

Veterans Day was first known as Armistice Day and became a federal holiday in 1938, then officially became ‘Veterans Day’ in 1954.”

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Past, Present, Future

Now, I want to talk about another “three.” Past, present, and future. This is captured in any serious discussion about the Holy Trinity, i.e., in the “God who was, is now, and is to come,” or more familiarly in the “Glory Be” prayer. It’s also captured in the remembrance days discussion above. Now, I’m going to get a little more personal.

The past: I showed up on the now former “Bring Me Men Ramp” of the United States Air Force Academy at the tail end of June 1995, still 17 years old and barely three weeks out of high school. Bill Clinton was president and people were still trying to figure out where “Bosnia” and “Serbia” were on a map when I graduated in 1999.

The present: On 2 June 2024, it will be my 25th anniversary of service in the United States Air Force and Air National Guard, with about twenty-three of those years in a full time active-duty status of one sort or another. That’s longer than I’ve been married, and a lot older than my daughter. I’ve spent my entire adult life in an Air Force uniform. This includes the entire GWOT.

The future: I’m retiring in early 2025. I might have a “last hurrah” exercise TDY before I call it a day, but we’ll see. As far as the next season of life goes, I’m looking forward to it. It’s time. Hopefully it includes more time to write.

I’ve had my last Armed Forces Day in uniform, and in a year that day will no longer belong to me, only others. That’s a strange feeling.

This is my final Memorial Day in uniform. Heading into Monday, I know enough friends, colleagues, mentors, peers, and others who gave their last full measure to rewrite the song “People Who Died” by Jim Carroll several times over. Only a few were from combat. Aircraft mishaps during training took most of them. That’s a stark reminder of the inherent dangers in what we do.

I think about them all. Four of them in particular: one who died in Afghanistan. One who died before he even left the Academy. One who died flying his A-10 in Alaska. One who died flying the Eagle training in the Lower 48. This doesn’t make the others any less, but these come to mind first.

Today, on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, I pray for the repose of their souls, as well as of all other service members who died in uniform, whether I know them or not, and whether in the past, present, or future yet to come.

I will have my final Veterans Day in uniform later this year. I’m honestly not sure how I’ll feel about that when the time comes. We’ll find out together.

Christopher “MOGS” Dinote, Colonel, USAF

OEF - 2004

OIF - 2009

…and a whole mess of other stuff too.

The views expressed are the author’s alone and do not reflect those of the U.S. Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.