Tomorrow is a holiday. It’s just another reason to barbecue in ‘Murica, but some might stop to pour one out for our dead brothers in arms. I can’t guarantee I will act in a particular fashion, even though I soldiered for nine years and spent my time in the IED-strewn sandbox that they will soon not call Iraq. I know of one person in my former units who died while on mission from said devices. I thought he was a total asshole while he was alive, and was not moved when I found out he got blown up. So that’s my only real connection to Memorial Day.

That sounds terrible. So many good people died fighting for this fucked up country who were mensches. I should remember them when I am halfway through my hot dog. Anyway, I am way off track. What I wanted to remind you of is that tomorrow is a day for the dead, not the survivors. I have had enough people thanking me for my service on this day in the past.

No. That is what Veteran’s Day is for. Feel free to honor me then, if you are so inclined. But not too much. For most of us, it was just another occupation, we didn’t join because we were patriots. We were unemployed. We got drafted. Maybe we were following a multi-generational history of service in a family. Some relished the idea of killing the fuck out of some people. I guess I liked the concept that we were sworn to defend the Constitution…but that was most definitely NOT what I was doing in Iraq. And the same goes for all of our other wars abroad.

Eh. To hell with it all. But if you feel otherwise, just remember who you are celebrating. Oh, don’t forget to salute those that the dead have left behind. Those families have lost more than you can ever imagine.