Happy Memorial Day from Society Impact

Over The Top (1918) by George Mathews Harding

Memorial Day is a time to remember the people who gave their lives in service to this country. It is a solemn holiday, and one that asks more of us than a simple statement of thanks.

It also reminds us to think about the people who do come home, many of them carrying the lasting effects of what they experienced. Too often, veterans are expected to return to civilian life without the support they need. When trauma, addiction, poverty, or isolation go untreated, some end up caught in systems that were never built to understand them.

This is not a new issue. In May of 2013, our conference titled When Johnny Comes Marching Home... and Gets Arrested — From Honor to Dishonor and Back Again brought together advocates and organizations to discuss the experiences of justice-involved veterans, including cases where arrest and imprisonment were connected to combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder. The conversation remains just as relevant today.

At Society Impact, we believe honoring service means more than ceremony. It means building communities that respond with dignity, accountability, and real opportunities for people to rebuild their lives.

Today, we remember those who did not make it home. We also recommit ourselves to the work of making sure those who do are not forgotten once the uniform comes off.