A nation reveals itself not only by the men and women it produces, but also by those it honors and remembers. That’s a paraphrase of a timeless line in a speech President John F. Kennedy delivered more than five decades ago.

On this Memorial Day, the day set aside to remember those who gave their lives in defense of our nation, take a moment to reflect on the sacrifice of our military service members, first responders and their families. And after the annual tributes wrap up at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl and elsewhere, give some thought to ongoing year-round efforts to honor military duty.

Among the most fitting ways of saluting fallen heroes is to support a living legacy of sorts, such as veterans struggling with homelessness and health care concerns.

According to this year’s Point in Time Count, which gauges the scope of homelessness nationwide, Oahu’s overall homeless population grew by just 19 people, but the island saw a 9 percent increase in homeless veterans despite a concerted push to house them. The census reported 4,940 people in its islandwide count, including 449 homeless vets — up from last year’s tally of 413.

While there’s uncertainty about the reasons behind the increase, what’s certain is that the ongoing effort to assist struggling vets will continue. Progress is in the works. For example, since January 2015, when Honolulu Hale joined a federal initiative titled Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness, it has helped house more than 1,000 veterans.

Among local programs getting homeless vets off the streets is the VET House, which opened almost four years ago in the Kalihi area. It’s operated by the Institute for Human Services, which also runs Hawaii’s largest homeless shelter. So far, 85 male veterans have gone through the eight-bedroom home, which fosters a sense of camaraderie among residents who share a common background through their military service. The program, which gets funding through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, aims to see to it that residents are healthy and ready to enter into permanent homes within 90 days.

Also, city, state, federal and nonprofit agencies are working in tandem with VA Pacific Islands Health Care System to stage annual events and gatherings such as “Veteran Stand Down” that connects veterans with a wide range of services, including help with finding permanent housing.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has reason to be optimistic that health care for vets in Hawaii will see continued improvements as the new director of VA Pacific Islands Health Care System, Jennifer Gutowski, now assumes her post. The Pacific Islands system, which oversees health care for more than 129,000 veterans, had been without a permanent director since February 2016, when Wayne Pfeffer abruptly resigned.

Pfeffer oversaw a troubled system that at one point in 2014 had the longest wait times in the entire VA system for an incoming patient to get an initial appointment with a primary care physician. Members of Hawaii’s congressional delegation and others will be watching to see that Gutowski hits the ground running to patch gaps, including improving communication with Hawaii’s veterans community and addressing various construction delays for facilities in the state.

The system, which covers Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, has an operating budget of $310.8 million and more than 1,000 employees.

Among this year’s Memorial Day observances on Oahu: longstanding parades and roll call of honor ceremonies along with a first-time event at Punchbowl, which will pay special tribute to Vietnam war veterans. This day, which doubles for many as an unofficial start of summer festivities, will also include plenty of beach and barbecue get-togethers. Regardless of how the day unfolds, take a moment to reflect on the significance of the holiday.