For most Americans, Memorial Day weekend marks the triumphant return of summer: a trip to the beach and a day off of work – barbecues, beers and bargains. Yet, as most Americans head to the beach or the mall, many veterans and military families will travel to a cemetery. For veterans, there is no day of the year when the civilian-military divide feels greater.
On Memorial Day, it feels like we are citizens of two different countries. This holiday should be a solemn day of remembrance for the more than one million American servicemembers of all generations who have given their lives in defense of our country, including the 5,454 men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a humbling occasion to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. But unfortunately, the significance of the day is often lost under the coolers and beach blankets in the trunk of the car.
Instead of driving to the beach, we’re heading to our nation’s capital, where IAVA members and their families will take part in a range of remembrance events. In Washington, we’ll join Vice President Biden and other veterans’ groups in the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. We will visit Section 60, where the OIF/OEF veterans are buried—including CSM Eric Cooke and SPC Robert Wise, two men I served with in Iraq – two men that my soldiers and I will never forget. We will stand together on Arlington’s hallowed ground to honor our fallen.
Arlington Cemetery is a place of tremendous symbolism. It is a place for deep reflection and essential learning. On Monday, Arlington is where the eyes of our nation will be focused. But on this immensely important day, President Obama and his family will not be there to stand with us. And that is unfortunate. As our Commander in Chief, it is the President’s duty to deliver our most important message in the most powerful way-and to always lead by example. Just like all of our troops do.
Every time I am at Arlington, I think about CSM Cooke and SPC Wise. I also think about my grandfather who spent three years in the South Pacific in World War II. I think about what he had to go through fighting the Japanese, getting malaria, and being away from home for so long. If you saw HBO’s The Pacific, you got the picture. He didn’t talk to my grandmother for three years. Not even a single phone call. And that is part of the lesson. Men like my grandfather served and sacrificed so that we could live today in a world of freedom and relative safety. He was just one of the hundreds of thousands of servicemembers who came before us and built our country into what it is today. Memorial Day is observed as a national holiday to ensure that we, as a nation, never take that service and sacrifice for granted.
And that message has never been more important. When my grandfather came home from World War II, he returned to a country that felt the war personally (12% of the American public had served). He came home to a nation committed to supporting the warriors. Today’s veterans are returning to a country in which very few Americans have felt the cost of war, so very few Americans are in touch with the challenges our community is facing. Even on the most sacred remembrance day of the year, and after nine years of war on two fronts, too many Americans see Monday as just another play day.
But you can help change that. Take a moment this Monday to pause and pay respect to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. Every American can pledge to help make Memorial Day the day of remembrance, not the day of mattress sales. Even if you’re at the beach, you can take a moment to pause with your family and teach your kids what Memorial Day signifies. You can teach yourself and your family about what it means to serve your family, your community, and your country.
We can honor the fallen by supporting the living. I hope this Memorial Day marks the start of unparalleled support for those returning from war. Veterans don’t need more empty political talk, they need real support and real action. Let’s make this the year we recommit ourselves to our country’s heroes, and to making a difference in their lives. And to never forgetting their sacrifice. Ever.
Crossposted at www.IAVA.org.
Follow Paul Rieckhoff on Twitter:
www.twitter.com/PaulRieckhoff
This day should be remembered to honor those who gave the last full measure of devotion to us, America, and those who served and where wounded in action, not going to the beach, not a barbeque in the backyard but a solem ocassion to reflect on the true cost of freedom. But more and more I read so called Americans trashing this nation who has freed millions from tryanny yet we and Isreal are to blame for all the worlds problems. We are the villian and the terrorist are just poor uneducated people angry at not being allowed to become fully emancipted. The New attitude among a growing number of the youth of America is a frieghtening thing which tells me if we don't turn it around today we will have no tomorrows. as a free nation.
Just make up some snide remarks whenever possible and you're good. Above all -- call people names, that's sure to show your intelligence and thought.
That said, I will anticipate that Obama will prioritize this Day more responsibly in the future.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/memorialday.asp
It has so many implications.
But we should have paused to simply say "Thank you"
My family is not particularly military, but I honor my uncle who was killed in action in WWII, my cousin who served in Vietnam, my uncle who served in the Navy in peacetime, and even both of my great-great grandfathers who fought in the Civil War. I'm not an advocate of militarism or warmongering, but I respect the honorable sacrifices of those who answered the call of duty. We all owe them a debt of gratitude.
Personally, we honored our soldiers by visiting a special VietNam memorial . We also drove to a local cemetery in which is the resting place for soldiers from all the wars-including one soldier who was the pilot of a helicopter shot down over Iraq. And lastly on this day, I thought of my two brothers-one a Marine and one a sailor. One experienced combat in VietNam. And I thought of my two uncles--one who fought in Germany and the other fought in the Pacific Ocean during World War II.
Regardless if we agree with wars or not(I was a VietNam War Protestor and am against the Iraq/Afghan Wars) we all owe a great deal of thanks to every single man and woman who have sacrificed so much for us.
In any decission making process it generally is not just one reason that dictates a course of action and our current involvement is no exception. To think that the Iraqui regime did not pose a threat to our country, regardless of not finding wmd's or not, as well there being a threat to the Iraqui people and society is to me a questionalble line of thought. However since I love my country I am looking for ways to unite our society that is why I asked. I'm tired of the nastiness, anger and hatred that has divided our society for so many years and I believe the cure has to start with understanding sincere people with a point of view different than my own.
I am politically conservitive, white, and a Christian looking for a renewal of attitude of patriotism, economic growth, and something other than political correctness. If you are interested in discussion without name calling and willing to help please contact me at www.http://aResponse2.com or aresponse2@msn.com
I am Vietnam Vet who came home and demonstrated against that conflict. My justification for that experience was the hope that we would never again involve ourselves in such a catastrophic and costly debacle again. We are not the world's policemen! My theory, however, was obliterated when the chicken hawks of the bush 2 administration sold the Iraq War.
War is the option of last resort. An invasion of our soil (9/11) is an obvious consideration for the involvement of our human treasure and financial resources...but I do question what has been accomplished in 9 years in Afghanistan.
I think one should personalize saber rattling...would I fight in this escapade? Would I send my son/daughter? It is easy to make these decisions from the comfort of your sofa...quite another thing when you've got skin in the game.
I have seen him often on TV and his sarcasm is in poor taste for someone representing the veterans and active military.
Brian Conway
Valatie, N. Y.
Only because the national media have made it "our national ceremony".
Since there are 131 VA-administered National Cemeteries throughout the US and Puerto Rico, and an additional 33 soldier’s lots and monument sites also administered by the VA, I'd dare say that the number of veterans buried outside Arlington far outnumbers those buried at Arlington. In addition, many of those who died and are eligible to be buried at Arlington are NOT buried there or in any other national cemetery, but in a 'regular grave' in a 'regular cemetery' (such as my father and all his brothers who served in the military).
Just because the media (and/or advertising agency, or Faux News, etc.) says it's so does not necessarily make it so.
Oh, and were you so worked up when Ronnie Ray-Gun skipped the ceremony at Arlington in 1983 (and Shrub senior was 'too busy' to do the duties, and so was Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger, leaving it up to Deputy Secretary of Defense W. Paul Thayer to lay the wreath)? Were you so worked up when Shrub senior was in Kennebunkport, Maine in 1992, leaving it up to Danny Quayle to lay the wreath?
I'd wager you were not.
Brian Conway
Valatie, N. Y.
Arlington Cemetery is not the only place to honor our war dead. Arlington is not more important than Abraham Lincoln Cemetery in Elwood, Ill. You in my opinion have insulted the families among which I am counted whose family members were killed in Iraq or Afghanistan, but not buried in Arlington. He is buried in the Veterans section of a cemetery in Greenville , SC and should the President decide that he would pay homage to veterans there, my family would be honored just as if he decide to stay in Washington and pay homage in DC we would not be slighted. Maybe you should take the time to think before you speak because my family members' gold star children are no less important than the 50 gold star children whose family member is buried in Arlington. To take this sacred day to get in a shot at the President, the commander in chief , this day is unforgivable. Not being at Arlington doesn't mean he doesn't stand with the Veterans or take this day seriously. I am very disappointed in you Paul especially when everyone knows that this President that has given his full devotion to veterans causes and when the new GI bill came up before he was President, he was the one that voted for it while John McCain, a veteran , voted against it. Your criticism is unfair , political, and unwarranted.
I happen to be proud to have a President who can reflect back to the tragedy and sacrifice of the Civil War as well as the tragedy of more recent wars.
Caldwell Young
But I do have a suggestion for this summer: Oil and our need for it has played had some role in the last 4 of 5 wars. Ronald Reagan came into power over 30 years ago and dismantled all the alternative energy policies put in place by Jimmy Carter. No one else moved forward with alternative energy initatives during the past 30 years. The real cost of oil is $11.00 a gallon. Watching the BP oil disaster pump millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, destroying the beautiful natural environment, livelihoods and calcualting the billions of dollars that it will cost to minimize this destruction is heartbreaking and nauseating. All Americans need to realize the true cost of oil paid in the blood of our young people and the cost to our enviornment. This change of energy sources will not occur over night, but maybe this summer in honor of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice we can all make smarter choices in our use of energy consumption and plastics. We can make a difference in honor of those Americans who also made a difference. God bless America.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.