Memorial Day has always been a solemn day in my family. I grew up the descendant of six generations of career Army officers. My father often reminded my siblings and me that we “never missed a meal or heard a shot fired in anger,” and that it was our job to thank those who had. His point was clear: Our comfort was made possible by the sacrifices of others.

But in recent years, I have come to believe that Memorial Day needs a broader lens. Even as we rightly honor those who died while serving their country, we must also acknowledge the quieter, often invisible losses here at home.

Since the start of the War on Terror in 2001, more than 7,000 U.S. service members have died during their service, mostly in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 140,000 veterans took their own lives between 2001 and 2022 — well over 6,000 veterans every year, or an average of more than 17 each day.

These deaths may not be the result of enemy fire, but they are casualties of war just the same. Research has consistently shown that suicide among veterans is closely linked to their military experience — particularly exposure to combat, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the often abrupt........

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