National Military Appreciation Month itself is not a federal holiday.  However, it includes Memorial Day, a federal holiday, as well as observances such as Armed Forces Day and Military Spouse Appreciation, which offer opportunities to publicly honor the sacrifices and contributions of military personnel and their families throughout May 2026.  

I guess it is because I served my country for four years and four months in the Marine Corps from December 20, 1961, to April 20, 1966, including two tours of duty in Vietnam.  Supporting the commitment of those who served their country in active duty in one of the six branches of the military is of particular interest to me.

I do not have anything against those who chose not to serve this great nation in active duty in one of our military branches — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Space Force.  To me, the decision to serve one’s country in active duty is a personal one.

What bugs me is those who forget to honor the memory of those who died in the service of this great land of ours during times of the year when there are opportunities to tip their proverbial caps to the more than one million men and women who have died in the military since the Civil War in 1861.

It seems to me that only those who have had a family member die, were injured in active military service, or went to school with someone who experienced such an event, really appreciate those who have served this nation.

In my opinion, the majority of people in this land could not care less about those who died, were wounded, returned crippled, or have committed suicide.  Of course, that is their prerogative.  I cannot convey what it was like to serve my country in Vietnam, or what I continue to encounter over the many years since.  Many vets are still struggling with health issues and mental disturbances that affect their quality of life today.

All I ask is that, if those non-service citizens see a vet, they thank the vet for their service before gulping their chosen liquid and knocking down their hamburger or hot dog, even if no vet is present to return the pleasantry. 

There is no way for me to ask someone who has not chosen to serve this country in active military duty to understand what people like me who served in a time of war saw and went through, wondering whether today or the next day would find me either wounded or dead.

Because I have such a passion for this subject, I wear Marine Corps garb most of the time I am in public.  I do so to make a point when people take the time to thank me for my service, by saying, “I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but I am one of the lucky ones; I came out of my time in Vietnam in one piece.”

I ask you to thank the 58,479 who lost their lives there, the 120,000 who were wounded, and the 22,000 who lost an eye or a limb there, in addition to the nearly 100,000 U.S. Vietnam-era veterans who have died by suicide since the conflict, with ongoing high rates among veterans of all eras.

Like life itself, we all make decisions we are proud of or not.  I wanted to be a Marine since the day I was seven years old, when my younger brother saw the movie “The Sands of Iwo Jima.”

I have no regrets about the service I gave my country, serving in that branch of the service some 64-plus years ago.  It helped shape me into who I am and all that—with God’s help—I have accomplished in my life.

All I ask of those who chose not to serve is to take a moment before chugging that first beer or knocking down that burger or hot dog to let their families know that many people served this country so they would have the opportunity to enjoy the holiday they are celebrating.

I do not think that is too much to ask, do you?