I never go to Washington, D.C. that I don't stop by Arlington National Cemetery and the tombs of the unknown soldiers. I remember.
I come from a military family. My father was a retired Army colonel. My grandfather was a retired rear admiral. My family has fought in every war ever waged by America. My mother used to tell me that I couldn't throw a stone at Arlington and not land close to a relative's grave site. I remember.
However, when I am at our National Cemetery, the people I think about most are not there. They are not home, either. We don't know where they are because they are missing in action. But, they are not forgotten, because we remember.
If elected to the Board, I will work with our other Board members to honor our Missing in Action (MIA) by approving the installation of the official MIA flag on the empty flagpole at the District Office. We will send a message to our young men and women who choose military service, should they become missing while defending our country, that we will never forget them. At the same time, we will honor the memory of those already missing and extend our prayers for their families. The dedication ceremony of that flagpole to our MIAs will remind us that some have paid the highest price for our freedoms. We will remember.I deplore those who, by word and action, demean the work these students do. Sometimes, in our eagerness to demolish the reputations of our elected board members, some of us think it's "cute" to make fun of the honorable actions of our JROTC students, such as their sabre salute to open a board meeting. It's a military tradition and deserves our respect. Using it as a ridicule of others was shameful.
We should encourage that training for our students. Leadership will build our country, our state, and our school district to new heights.
This Memorial Day, for those who gave all, let us remember.
6 comments:
I am impressed. You just got my vote.
Thank you for your reminder of our heritage and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
It is very sad when people denigrate the service of others. I hope your article will shame them into changing their actions.
Again, thanks.
A friend of mine sent me an e-mail regarding this posting. In it, he told me of the re-start of his old military fraterity at his university. He wrote, in part, "...Two of my pledge brothers spoke at that ceremony. One is a Major General and the other is a recipient of the Silver Star (with two clusters). The latter walked into the jungles of Vietnam with a LRRP patrol of 15 men and, a year later, walked out alone.
I can assure you that the men he left behind are never from his thoughts. I think that over the past 6 months, his wife and I have finally helped him to accept the fact that the Silver Stars were earned and were not a "scarlet letter" for having survived after accomplishing his mission. Absent, but NEVER forgotten."
Those MIAs are remembered. Now, they are also in our hearts.
I agree with you 200%. This is a great idea for the kids in ROTC. Who in our school district would even think about making fun of what those military science students do? Thank you for running for the school board. People like you need to be elected and I hope you win.
I printed a copy of your column to include with our patriotic decorations for our cookout on Memorial Day. Your ideas rang home with me and I like what you said. We are going to take time to remember with our guests on Monday. God bless America and our soldiers.
Wow. What else could I say? I have never seen a candidate for our governing board do this before.
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