Memorial Day
The upcoming 27, is the last Monday of May, and as every year, Memorial Day is celebrated.
Starting several days before, there are median strips, gardens and cemeteries all over the city, decorated with American flags reminding all the soldiers killed in combat.
There is no doubt that it is a day of profound nationalism, involving children and adults. The sad part is the figures; according to the Annack Military Blog site, since the Civil War, to date, more than one million two hundred and forty thousand (1,240,000) American soldiers have died in combat.
This figure does not include those killed by illness, injured, prisoners or disappeared. This count is done by two means: the recovery of the body or the identification plate (dog tag), so this figure could be much higher.
But that's not the end of the drama, the suicides among former military is alarming.
President Trump himself said: “It's hard to believe that an average of 20 veterans and members in service take their lives every day. There are more than 6,000 suicides among veterans per year. The rate of suicides among them is 1.5 times higher than that of non-veteran adults, and the rate of suicides of soldiers after September 11 has increased significantly in the last ten years.”
That is why, earlier this year, he signed an executive order in which he asks the official agencies to develop a plan within 12 months.
Differences —economic, political or religious— are the main causes of wars between nations; but those who participate in the battles are the soldiers, who are people just like all of us; and they and their families suffer a lot to fulfill what they are ordered.
Our prayers and deep appreciation to all the soldiers.
