Let’s Leave Memorial Day to Those Who Died While Serving, Please [OPINION]

I write something similar to this every year at this time because I think it’s important to know the difference between Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Armed Forces Day.
Veterans Day is to honor all who have served. Armed Forces Day is to honor those who are currently serving. Memorial Day, which we observe this Monday, is to honor those who died while serving, the ones who made what is appropriately called “the ultimate sacrifice.”
We should almost always thank those who have served and those who are serving but, please, let’s set aside this one day out 365 for the fallen alone.
When we confuse or obfuscate Memorial Day by folding in the rest, we diminish not just the lives those Americans offered up in service to their nation but we also fail to put a stark spotlight on the price of war. Each year we should pay our respects to the men and women who died but we should also reflect on the folly of armed conflict as a way to resolve differences. The mostly senseless cost of it should not be lost by dilution of their day.