Editor's note: If you or someone you know is a veteran in crisis, please contact the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1. Help is available.

Each year on Memorial Day, Americans pause to remember the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. We gather at cemeteries, raise our flags and share stories of heroism. But there is another group of fallen heroes we often overlook -- those who died not on the battlefield, but long after the gunfire ceased, lost to the lingering wounds of post-traumatic stress.

For countless service members, the battle doesn't end when they return home. The scars they carry are not always visible. Flashbacks, insomnia, anxiety and depression become daily adversaries. And far too many lose this final, solitary fight. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, an estimated 17 veterans die by suicide each day -- a silent epidemic that cuts across generations and service eras.

Memorial Day must evolve in our consciousness. It should continue to honor those killed in action, but also shine a solemn light on those who died because the war followed them home. These men and women wore the uniform, stood post and protected our freedoms. That their deaths didn't occur in combat, but in our own hometowns and communities, makes them no less worthy of remembrance -- or of action.

A powerful new film is helping the public confront this crisis with the clarity it deserves. "Sheepdog" is more than a movie -- it's a mirror held up to the soul of our nation. It tells the story of a veteran battling the haunting aftermath of combat, exposing the crushing weight of post-traumatic stress and the fragility of survival when support is lacking. With unflinching honesty and emotional depth, "Sheepdog" dares us to look at what we often refuse to see, and be witness to both post-traumatic stress and growth.

And it is that path to growth that leads to healing. That's where organizations such as Warriors' Ascent step in. Warriors' Ascent provides holistic, evidence-based support to veterans and first responders struggling with post-traumatic stress. Its programs address not just the mind, but the body and soul, equipping warriors with the tools of empowerment, ownership and resilience. Many of those who once saw no way forward now speak of transformation, meaning and renewed purpose.

These efforts are vital, but they cannot stand alone. Memorial Day should call us not just to remembrance, but to responsibility. It should compel us to ask hard questions: Are we doing enough for those who returned home in body but remain trapped in war's shadow? Are we honoring their sacrifice by providing them the care and community they deserve?

As we place flags beside headstones this year, let us also open our hearts to the unseen pain many veterans still endure. Let us remember that patriotism is more than ceremony -- it is commitment. Commitment to ensure that those who served are not forgotten when the uniforms come off and the parades end.

Because if we are to truly honor the fallen, we must fight just as fiercely for the living.