Honoring the fallen

Monday, May 30, 2011 | 2:01 a.m.

Today is Memorial Day, the day the country recognizes those who have died in the defense of the nation. The holiday’s roots go back to the aftermath of the Civil War, as America was rebuilding from the devastating conflict.

In 1868, Army Gen. John A. Logan ordered his troops to clean and decorate the graves of the Union soldiers who had died in the war. “Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic,” the general wrote.

Logan’s words are as fitting now as they were then. The sacrifice of those who have died in defense of the nation — there have been 1 million since the country’s founding — shouldn’t be forgotten.

This also is the 10th Memorial Day since the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the start of the war in Afghanistan, and the once keen public interest in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq has sadly waned as the years have passed. For many Americans, the war is a distant thought because it doesn’t directly affect them.

The military is an all-volunteer force, so there is no concern about a draft, as there was during the Vietnam War. Pentagon officials say less than 1 percent of the country is in military service and just 7 percent of the population has served, and they suggest that many Americans may not know a veteran or someone who is actively serving.

The fact that Americans haven’t been directly asked to sacrifice or take part in the war effort in any major way is also a factor in why the interest has faded. When President George W. Bush originally sent the troops, there was no serious talk of war bonds or even modest tax increases to pay for the military effort. The country has spent about $1.2 trillion in the war effort, according to the Congressional Research Service. With the wars financed on the nation’s credit card, future generations will foot the bill.

The result of all of this is that there is a growing disconnect between the military and the rest of the American population.

Unfortunately, the physical and emotional tolls of the wars have been put disproportionately on a small percentage of Americans. The cost of the wars is immense. Nearly 5,000 troops have died fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and more than 43,000 have been wounded.

Although Memorial Day is often seen as the unofficial start of summer, Americans should take time amid the long weekend to remember those who have given their lives in defense of the country. Since the country’s beginning, more than 1 million Americans have died in the nation’s service. Americans should also acknowledge the sacrifices of those currently serving to root out terrorism and defend the nation, as well as the veterans.

In 2000, President Bill Clinton signed a measure that calls on Americans to take a moment at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day to remember the men and women who have given their lives for their country and to offer a prayer for peace.

That is the least a grateful nation could do.