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Remembering Memorial Day

SleepyC

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memorial_day.jpg

Hey guys as you celebrate this weekend, remember why the holiday exists. There are a lot of men and women who made the ultimate
sacrifice to give us the freedoms we have today. So no matter what your plans are this weekend, take a moment and remember the fallen.

This article from Time Magazine does a great job explaining the holiday.


This is the real meaning of the holiday
From Time Magazine Written by
Tessa Berenson

It’s easy to forget what Memorial Day actually means while you’re sitting by the pool and looking ahead at summer vacation—but the day signifies much more than just a three-day weekend.

Memorial Day is a solemn day of remembrance for everyone who has died serving in the American armed forces. The holiday, originally known as Decoration Day, started after the Civil War to honor the Union and Confederate dead.

It’s unclear exactly where the holiday originated—Charleston, S.C., Waterloo, N.Y., Columbus, Ga. and other towns all claim to be the birthplace of the holiday. The event in Charleston that may have precipitated the holiday offers poignant evidence of a country struggling to rebuild itself after a bloody war: 257 Union soldiers died in prison in Charleston during the Civil War and were buried in unmarked graves, and the town’s black residents organized a May Day ceremony in which they landscaped a burial ground to properly honor the soldiers.

In the years following the Civil War, Memorial Day celebrations were scattered and, perhaps unsurprisingly, took root differently in the North and South. It wasn’t until after World War II that the holiday gained a strong following and national identity, and it wasn’t officially named Memorial Day until 1967.

The final event that cemented the modern culture of Memorial Day in America was in 1968 when Congress passed the Uniform Holiday Act, designating Memorial Day as the last Monday in May rather than May 30, as it had previously been observed. This ensured a three-day weekend and gave the day its current status as the unofficial beginning of summer, mixing serious reflection with more lighthearted fun.

Link to original Article: HERE
 

Robbins

Team WTFO (Watch The Fun Occur)
My .02 cents:

It's a common phrase "war is hell". I haven't experience it. But I believe it.
Freedom from tyranny is a God given right to all beings.

I, like many of the rest of us have had family serve. We were lucky to have all of them come back. I've had a great grandfather serve in ww1, a grandfather serve in the pacific theatre in ww2, a grandfather serve in Korea (he is still with us today), my uncle served in Vietnam, and my cousin served in the gulf and now is a test pilot @ Edwards.

I have other friends and family that have and are serving today also. I think of them often.

In 1999, I remember not knowing what I wanted to do following high school in 2000. I also talked with recruiters at that time. My parents, however, strongly objected to that path once I told them I was thinking of joining the forces. I remember feeling the pull to help make a difference but ultimately honored my parents wishes and entered college.

I graduated in May of 2005. I recall many times where I nearly lost a friend. I lost one roommate when he was deployed, killed by an IED ag few weeks off the ship. I had other friends come back from their tours with a very different view of things. Many beers and conversations, lots of tears later I, I came to realize that war can be hardest to those who come back.

I worked for seven years out of college with a man who also shared details of Iraqi freedom. He went 4times and now is an instructor and a lifer. One of the kindest, smartest, down to earth guy I have ever known.

I have flying buddies that have served. Awesome guys!

But I really get pissed off when Memorial Day comes around. I'm sorry folks, it doesn't have jack to do with camping. Hump a weekend on foot with a pack on your back, eat bugs and drink your piss for three days and prove me wrong.

I'll honor the fallen, the deceased survivors, active and inactive vets. But I don't need Memorial Day to do it.

But in lieu of a holiday that is dedicated to those people, if you can, please accept my "Thank You for Your Service"

The world would be hell without the worlds servicemen and women.
 
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