Remembering all three military honor days

I think I missed a day of honor. 

When Rick and I were discussing the changing of holidays to provide three day weekends a couple of days ago we concluded that we are stubborn, relics. Neither one of us has every really approved the changing of Memorial Day from May 30 to the last Monday in May. It just has always seemed wrong. 

    I guess because as children we were indoctrinated that it was always May 30. That discussion prompted me to ponder the whole military honor days. It dawned on me that I missed one.

There are three distinct days of honor for the military; two for the past and one for the present. Memorial Day, the last Monday in May, to honor those who lost their lives while on active duty. Veterans Day, the eleventh of November, to honor everyone who has served and Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May honoring those who are in members serving now.

Somehow, I missed Armed Forces Day this year. It isn’t something I think of often, because I don’t remember being taught about it in school. Maybe I am so old that they didn’t have the holiday then. I guess I better do some research.

I did that research, and I discovered that I am not as old as the holiday, it was instituted in 1950, so the holiday is older than I am, not by much I concede, but a little. I just hate that I missed failing to honor my grandson Aiden who is serving.

I guess where I am going with all of this is that Armed Forces Day seems to get left out altogether. There are always special programs on Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day, but Armed Forces Day slips by without even a fare-thee-well. I need to do better about remembering and honoring those who are currently serving. Telling a veteran thank you is never out of place, although most of them are embarrassed by it and don’t really know how to react. The same is true for active-duty members. They just don’t know what to do with people thanking for them for what they see as just doing their job.

So, let’s try to remember all the military holidays, Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May, Memorial Day, the last Monday in May, and Veteran’s Day, the eleventh day of the eleventh month. As for thanking veterans and active-duty service members, do it anyway, even if it makes them uncomfortable. They deserve our thanks.

Rhubarb upside down cake

5 cups diced rhubarb

3 cups mini marshmallows

1 package (3 ounce) strawberry gelatin

1 cup sugar

1 box white or yellow cake mix, mixed according to package directions.

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 13x9 baking dish. Combine the rhubarb, mini marshmallows, gelatin and sugar in a large bowl and stir to combine, pour into prepared pan and level out. Pour prepared cake batter evenly over the rhubarb mixture. Bake for 35-38 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, loosen the edges and turn out onto a platter or baking tray.