Page 4 - Desert Lightning 5-22-15

4 May 21, 2015
The difference between Memorial and Veterans Day
Maj. Nicholas J. Sabula
Defense Media Activity
FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS)
-- There are lots of reminders out there that
Memorial Day is about more than a day off
or barbecue. It’s also about more than thank-
ing everyone who served or waving flags. The
truth is, many people confuse this day with
Veterans Day.
This day is about one thing -- our fallen warriors.
Congress officially set Memorial Day as
the last Monday in May. How ironic that we
mark the start of our summer season of fun
with the day devoted to the memory of those
who perished in the fight for the principles
of freedom.
Why is Memorial Day so important? Here
are some thoughts:
One thing I think people tend to gloss over
with this day -- these people died for free-
dom. While the semantics of how they died,
why they died or where they died can become
blurred by those seeking to minimize their
sacrifice, the reality is that they died in serv-
ing the very country that allows for freedoms
to belittle these heroes.
They gave of themselves, paying the ulti-
mate sacrifice. This is the day for a grateful
nation to remember their service and what
it represented.
I think of the power in the memories we
hold to the actions taken that were long for-
Harry Schlosser,
M.D.
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gotten by others.
I think of Marine Corps Maj. Megan Mc-
Clung, who died while serving in Iraq. She
embodied her personal catch-phrase of “Be
bold, be brief, be gone.”
I think of our Medal of Honor recipients,
who all remind us that the recognition is not
for them, but for their comrades who are no
longer with us.
The greatest honor we can bestow is re-
membering their gift. For me, experiences
have shaped how meaningful the day is.
Long, long ago, I served as a member of
the honor guard, covering a three-state re-
gion of Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska.
Our team was incredible in the manner
which we would drive for hours to the loca-
tion, then suddenly put our game face on in
preparation for a funeral. Except it wasn’t a
game to us.
The crisp folds in our nation’s flag, the
sharp salute and presentation to the family
on behalf of a grateful nation, and the 21-
gun salute that shattered the silence was
only shared with sobs and strong hearts dur-
ing that instance.
We honored their passing; but also gave
reverence to their important honorable ser-
vice to this nation.
Though the M-1 Garand rifle was heavy
and the snow would be knee-deep at cer-
tain locations, we never lost cadence, nev-
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er lost focus. Whether a bitter -40 degrees
or a sweltering 100 degrees, they would
become part of this day we now hold as a
federal holiday.
Since then, I have been shaped by addi-
tional experiences of loss. Whether salut-
ing a hero’s flag-draped coffin as it’s carried
onto a C-17 Globemaster III for their jour-
ney home, or experiencing the grief of learn-
ing of the loss of colleagues, it’s never easy
when it hits you.
It really struck home about four and a half
years ago, while in Afghanistan.
I’m not going to go into the details, but I
will say that personally witnessing the death
of a comrade when there’s nothing you could
do stays with you forever. I don’t talk about
it much, but it’s why the day is so important
to me.
This day is for them and for those who
served among them. For me, this day is also a
time to reflect on all the sacrifice our military
family as a whole has made.
Sgt. 1st Class Shannon’s family back home
will never be the same; they are now a Gold
Star family. His Army unit felt his loss. While
our military and our country continue on,
Memorial Day is a reminder that he and all
the heroes we have lost mattered.
Service and sacrifice. This is my day to re-
flect on those I’ve encountered and those I
never will. This is a day to simply remember.
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