Our troops need more than a salute this Memorial Day. They need food.

Americans are used to showing their patriotism on Memorial Day, but experts say this holiday many of the nation’s troops need more than a salute -- ​they need food.

Between the flags and parades, Americans are used to showing their patriotism on Memorial Day, but experts say this holiday many of the nation’s troops need more than a salute -- ​they need food. Food insecurity has skyrocketed for many Americans throughout the pandemic, and military families have not been immune. In fact, advocates say hunger and financial anxieties are issues that have been faced by military families for years. The Armed Services YMCA, which exclusively serves active-duty military families, operates 12 food assistance programs on or near bases across the country, four of which opened during the pandemic. "A lot of people came to the pantry, got what they needed, and then maybe they came back one more time, but then they were gone. With COVID, we're seeing the same people week after week, month after month," Dorene Ocamb, chief development and marketing officer for ASYMCA, told ABC News.