Ayala and Avery Alexander examine the headstone of US Air Force Tech Sgt. Anthony Capra at Arlington National Cemetery's Section 60. Their father's headstone is just a few yards away. He died in Afghanistan months before they were born.

Larry Shaughnessy
CNN Pentagon Producer

After spending several days over the Memorial Day weekend at Arlington National Cemetery I was surprised to learn that this somber, serious place is also a heck of a playground.

I've seen little girls scramble among the headstones blowing bubbles. One little boy was fascinated by the knickknacks left at the graves. Countless children used the large expanse of grass near the newest graves of the fallen heroes from Iraq and Afghanistan as a great place to just run with abandon. While many children seem sad about visiting the grave of their father or mother, many others are allowed, even encouraged to play.

One woman brought a small blanket, an American Flag and a ball to occupy her young son while she visited the grave of her roommate who died for his country. The little boy probably too young to realize that his middle name is the same as the name on the headstone, a permanent connection to her mother's good friend.

I listened to children giggle, unfazed by the 3 round volley of gunshots that echoed over Section 60 from some other part of the cemetery.

While Angie Capra visited the grave of her husband Anthony, their daughter Anna played with Tony's youngest sisters... little girls just a few years older than Anna. They hid from each other behind the giant shade tree near Tony's grave and blew bubbles that floated on the breeze over the headstones.

I've been to many burials at Arlington, but they are always in Section 60….sometimes called America's Saddest Acre. That’s where many of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried. But the short formality of the burial ceremonies there and the rules for the media meant I'd never seen children allowed to occupy themselves in the cemetery.

But little of what occurs in Section 60 when burials are not underway is formal. Even adults can be seen enjoying a champagne toast or a bottle of beer in honor of the loved one they've come to visit. The children seem to subscribe to a youngster's version of the same philosophy.

Ayala and Avery Alexander came with their mother, Capt. Marissa Alexander to visit the grave of their father, Leroy, who died in Afghanistan before they were born.

When their mother wasn't quietly using the visit to teach them about their father and what Section 60 means, the twins were busy exploring. Avery was particularly fascinated by a small Yoda doll left on a headstone. His sister got a big kick out of a red, white and blue pinwheel adorning another grave.

The children seemed to understand the boundaries of Arlington National Cemetery and obeyed them. Occasionally a toy or a stone left on a headstone might be knocked to the ground by a child's hand. But if they themselves didn't replace it, some adult nearby would and without any scolding. Never did I see a child behave inappropriately. A few babies cried, but there were no temper tantrums. No climbing on headstones or intentional destruction of the personal memorials so many families have created at the graves.

The phrase "to dance on your grave" has come to mean a way of insulting the deceased.

But these past days at watching the children in Section 60, I've come to realize "to play on your grave" may be one of the best ways a child can honor their deceased fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, the men and women we call fallen heroes.

Jami Floyd
AC360° Contributor and In Session anchor

A soldier sits at a grave in Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day

Another Memorial Day has come and gone: Cookouts, baseball games and parades. And that’s okay; but let’s not forget the real purpose of the day: To remember the men and women of our armed services who have died at war.

At Arlington National Cemetery, soldiers, sailors and marines from the U.S. Army Old Guard placed flags at the grave stones there. It took thirteen hundred soldiers three hours to place a flag at each of the more than 300,000 gravestones.

Thousands of visitors paid their respects, not only at Arlington, but at the Long Island National Cemetery, the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, in Honolulu, and of course at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., and all across the country.

Read more...

Gerald F. Seib
Capitol Journal, Wall Street Journal

The long Memorial Day weekend may be as good a time as any to ponder the question of whether the gap is widening between those who serve in the military and those in the political sector who help determine what the military does.

Certainly the number of Washington decision-makers with military experience continues to decline. In its profile of the Congress that convened at the beginning of the year, the Congressional Research Service notes that it continues a long-term slide in the number of lawmakers in Washington who have served in the military:

“In the 111th Congress there are 121 Members who have served in the military, five less than in the 110th Congress. The House has 96 veterans (including two Delegates); the Senate 25. These Members served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War,Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo, as well as during times of peace. Some have served in the Reserves and the National Guard. Several Members are still serving as Reservists. As noted above, one Senator is a former Secretary of the Navy.

“The number of veterans in the 111th Congress reflects the trend of a steady decline in the number of Members who have served in the military. For example, there were 298 veterans (240 Representatives, 58 Senators) in the 96th Congress (1979-1981); and 398 veterans (329 Representatives, 69 Senators) in the 91st Congress (1969-1971).”

In addition, the current president isn’t a veteran. His national security adviser and his defense secretary are, but most of his top advisers aren’t. And it’s certainly a safe bet that veterans are a distinct minority among the Washington press corps.

The question of military service at least seems more relevant at a time when U.S. forces are active in Iraq, Afghanistan and, to some extent, Pakistan. But does it really matter? Would policies be any different if the percentage of veterans in Congress were higher? The U.S. lurched into the Vietnam War when the percentage of veterans in Congress was far higher than it is today, but was that a factor in any way?

Read more...

Visitors scan the names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington.

Dave Schechter
CNN Senior National Editor

I never fail to be moved by the 58,000 names carved into the black granite and the mementos left at the base of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

At night the statues of 19 troops on patrol and the faces looking out from the adjacent wall haunt the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the National Mall.

I'm less a fan of the design of the National World War II Memorial but you cannot deny the majesty of its position on the National Mall.

But on the National Mall there is no national memorial to the Americans who fought in World War I. The sacrifice of the American Expeditionary Force is owed a place of honor near memorials for wars that came later.

The World War I troops came to be known as "doughboys," a slang term that dated to the soldiers in the Mexican-American War of 1846. Explanations for its origin range from the chalky Mexican dust that gathered on the uniforms of American troops, the dough used to cook their rations or the clay used to clean uniforms and belts.

World War I began in 1914 but not until 1917 did the United States join the fight alongside the British, French and other nations against the armies of Germany and its allies. Several hundred thousand Americans, most who had barely traveled in their own country, boarded ships bound for Europe.

Their rallying cry was penned by the great American entertainer George M. Cohan. Perhaps you've heard the chorus:
Over there, Over there
Over there, Over there
Send the word, send the word,
Over There
That the Yanks are coming,
The Yanks are coming,
The drums rum tumming everywhere
So prepare,
Say a Prayer
Send the word,
Send the word to beware
We'll be over, we're coming over.
And we won't be back till it's over over there!

And when it was over "over there" the surviving Americans boarded ships for the return passage home, changed by the experience. On the lighter side were the lyrics of Sam Lewis and Joe Young:

How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm
After they've seen Paree'
How ya gonna keep 'em away from Broadway
Jazzin around and paintin' the town
How ya gonna keep 'em away from harm, that's a mystery
They'll never want to see a rake or plow
And who the deuce can parleyvous a cow?
How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm
After they've seen Paree'

But these Americans had experienced the horrors of modern warfare. There was brutal hand-to-hand combat by troops charging from trenches, aerial dogfights and bombs dropped from airplanes and poison gas (used by both sides) that choked lungs, killing tens of thousands and leaving hundreds of thousands of others with breathing problems that shortened lives. In 1918, the troop transport ships and the battlefields of Europe were struck by the same flu pandemic that killed tens of millions around the world. By the war's end, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, some 116,000 Americans were dead (among them 53,000 in battle) and 204,000 wounded.

Hidden by trees, crumbling and virtually ignored by tourists walking between the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument is a memorial to the World War I fallen who hailed from the District of Columbia itself. The National Park Service has allocated several million dollars to clean up this memorial to D.C.'s troops.

One idea to transform it into a national memorial is to create a trench scene along its side, with statues of soldiers, gas masks on their hip and bayonets fixed on their rifles, peering out as if awaiting the order to charge enemy lines. Plaques would provide information about World War I – among them, perhaps, the poem "In Flanders Fields," written during the war by Canadian Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD.

Interestingly, there is a site dedicated to the nation's World War I troops in . . . Kansas City, Missouri. The National World War One Museum contains an impressive collection.  The museum is housed in the Liberty Memorial, dedicated in 1926 and refurbished after years of neglect.

Now, don't get me wrong. I like Kansas City. I lived there for a couple of years. I was married there. It's a terrific city.

But a national memorial to the World War I troops should be alongside those for World War II, Korea and Vietnam; lest "the war to end all wars" be forgotten by those who come to pay homage.

The lone living American veteran of World War I is 108-year-old Frank Buckles, a Missouri boy who enlisted at 16. Buckles drove ambulances in England and France, ferrying the wounded to hospitals. Later he escorted prisoners-of-war back to Germany. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp-stories/loc.natlib.afc2001001.01070/ Today a resident of West Virginia, Buckles attends parades and other events in his wheelchair, proudly wearing his military decorations.

"Don't let Frank Buckles die without a National World War I Memorial" is the name of a campaign to create a memorial on the Mall. Check it out on Facebook . The campaign is being led by David DeJonge, a portrait photographer from Grand Rapids, Mich., whose quest in recent years has been to photograph the dwindling number of veterans of "the war to end all wars," in the United States and across Europe.

In a statement issued in recent days, Buckles said: "As the last veteran of World War I, I feel a deep sense of responsibility to give proper recognition to all of the millions who fought in that war and are now gone. I intend to give all of my efforts in the time I have left to see that a national memorial to World War I joins the other war memorials on the National Mall."

On Capitol Hill, Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, has authored legislation to create a national World War I memorial on the Mall.  The support of armed forces veterans in the House and Senate, several with combat experience, is being sought.

It's understandable that Kansas City would want Liberty Memorial designated as the only national memorial. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Missouri, has sponsored legislation to this end.  Congress eventually will sort out the differences.

But Washington, D.C., is the nation's capital and the Mall is "America's front yard." The sacrifice of those "doughboys" of World War I troops is owed a national memorial on that ground.

The Business Review

AAA predicts Memorial Day travel will rebound this year.

Far lower gas prices coupled with deeply discounted hotel rates, should lead 32.4 million Americans to travel at least 50 miles from home over the holiday weekend, AAA said. That would be an increase of 1.5 percent from last year.

“The good news is sharply lower gasoline prices and plentiful travel bargains have Americans feeling better about taking a road trip this summer,” said Robert Darbelnet, AAA president and chief executive.

According to AAA, retail gas prices average $2.26 a gallon nationwide, down from a high of $4.11 in July 2008.

AAA said it does not expect the national price of gas to go above $2.50 per gallon this summer.

The number of Americans planning to travel by car is expected to hit 27 million, accounting for 83 percent of those taking trips. Airline travel is expected to fall 1 percent despite a projected 4 percent decline in airfares.

Read More...

Are you traveling for Memorial Day Weekend? Check out the latest weather reports for your destination and a forecast for the days ahead. Stay safe and enjoy the holiday weekend!

Check on your weather here.

Tom Foreman
360° Correspondent

Coming from a military family, I have always had a special place in my heart for Memorial Day. Taking time each year to remember people, throughout our nation’s history, who have fought and died defending the principles upon which our country was founded, is simply the right thing to do.

Even when we have been involved in wars that many Americans do not support, or wars that seem confusing, pointless, or lost, it has always seemed to me that we still should honor those who fight in our name. But it is also important to remember, that not only our troops die in war.

The simple truth is, millions of civilians lose their lives in war zones: some because they live there, some because they are support roles serving our troops, and some because they are trying to do something good in the midst of so much that is bad in any war. And as the United States has moved toward a leaner military force, which relies more heavily on civilians to carry out non-combat roles, the number of American civilians stepping into the danger zone has been climbing.

I hadn’t paid a lot of attention to that fact, until I met Michael Hastings. He’s a young reporter for Newsweek who, like all young reports, was terrifically excited when he was sent to Baghdad. He was thrilled with the action, the sense of danger, the day-to-day rush that comes from being in any war zone. Problem is, while all that was happening, he was also falling in love. He met Andi Parhamovich while he was in New York, but soon enough, that charming, idealistic young woman was working for an aid agency in Iraq. They courted amid the gun and rocket fire; shared romantic dinners with helicopters pounding overhead; and ultimately they met with tragedy. Andi was killed when her motorcade was ambushed in Baghdad. Michael found out in a phone call.

It’s an awful story, as so many are in war, but an important one, too, which Michael tells in his book I Lost My Love in Baghdad.

Michael said, when I interviewed him, he wants the story of Andi’s loss to be told, because it is a reminder that there is a story…a real person…behind every name of every casualty we read on-line or in the newspaper, whether that person wore a uniform or not.

I have done three documentaries in the past year and a half on troops we have lost in Iraq, and the very brave way they died. And while this day is, undeniably, about them; it is also a fitting time to remember all those we lose in war. After all, we don’t have a day yet to honor the civilians who fall in battle, but many of them are serving their country, too.

Arwa Damon
CNN Baghdad

“And thinking about Memorial Day, one main factor comes to mind – 5 years, 4000 American dead, trillions of dollars, we have increased psychological issues with veterans, not to mention family problems, children with no parents, parents with no children.” A young medic said sarcastically plopping himself down on the couch.

He admits to being bitter and jaded. Nine of his close friends died in the last year, seven of them fathers. It’s impossible for him to see what for. He turns his pain, anger, frustration, and sense of helplessness into humor.

Its 12:53 in the morning. He’s about to head out the door on his fifth patrol in the last 18 hours. The men here are fighting physical and emotional exhaustion, drawing strength from each other and little else.

They’ve done their best to make this building home. Now it’s a bizarre blend of “military” and traditional Iraqi. Old style fake crystal chandeliers from its original inhabitants hang from the ceiling. Gold paint is chipping off the tacky molding. The power just cut out. There’s a baseball game on the TV. Taking a break from the war.

It’s always intense and intrusive to be reporting on the troops at a time like this. Most of them didn’t even realize it was Memorial Day until they asked us why we were on embed. The company we’re with lost 5 of its men in a single attack. A suicide bomber walked into the middle of a patrol just over two months ago and detonated. They are haunted by the events of that day. The pain is still so raw. Carried within because this isn’t a war that allows for the luxury of mourning, it is one that has demanded superhuman strength from America’s young men and women.

Strength they draw from the bond that exists between soldiers is nearly impossible to put into words. Somehow, through all the hardships, humor and love for each other carry them through. They fight for different reasons. The mission, the Iraqi children, so the next generation of Americans doesn’t have to. But most importantly they do if for each other. To bring each other home.

These men are proud of each other. Of everything they have accomplished. Of their discipline to carry on the mission in the face of things most of us wouldn’t be able to recover from.

There won’t be any Memorial Day ceremony on this small base in the heart of Baghdad. Not because they don’t want to remember the fallen, they remember them every minute of everyday. It’s because they can’t afford to reopen the still gut wrenching wounds. Losing focus can mean losing your life. They will deal with the pain when they get back home.
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Remembering our troops... and how you can help...

Michael Hastings is the author of 'I Lost My Love in Baghdad.'

Michael Hastings
Author, "I Lost My Love in Baghdad"

How do you live after tragedy? I'd never really considered the question myself until the months following January 17, 2007. On that day, the woman I loved more than I could ever capture in words was killed in Baghdad. Her name was Andi Parhamovich; she was an American civilian working in Iraq for an NGO that was trying to help the people of Iraq set-up a working democracy. She was 28, beautiful, spiritual, brilliant, born and raised in Ohio. Her killers, insurgents who claimed links to Al-Qaeda, have never been brought to justice.

I couldn't believe it happened(I say "it"—I don't even like writing the words to describe the incident, another word I don't like, which may seem odd considering I spent most of the last year writing about "it")—even though I was there covering the war myself as a correspondent for Newsweek. To this day, I can't believe what happened, really. We had planned to spend our lives together; we loved each other, love each other, and suddenly she's gone.

The temptation to join her is and was very strong—end the pain, switch places, I wish it had been me. I didn't, though. I can report to you that I am still alive, still waking up, still going to sleep. How can that be? How can I—and we as humans, because if we share one thing in common as a race it's tragedy—keep going? Is there a limit to our willingness to suffer? I don't know; I do know I'm not the first to ask those questions. But I can tell you what I did–I tried to make sense of "it." I wrote to cope, to rationalize, to curse the world, to bring attention to the war and the tens of thousands of others who've died there and whose families will never get the suffering from their loss to stop. I wrote to make sure no one would ever forget my Andi.

Everyone who loved Andi has tried to find their own ways to remember. Her family(Vicki, Andre, Marci, Cory, Chris, Joe, Abby, Kayla) and friends set up a foundation in her honor, The Andi Foundation. (theandifoundation.org) It's essentially a scholarship fund to help young women pursue their educational and career goals in politics and the media, fields Andi worked in and was fascinated by. A significant portion of the proceeds from I Lost My Love in Baghdad are also going to the foundation.

Of course, we could start a thousand foundations and I could write a thousand books, and it would never be enough. It is, though, something. And when "it" is unbearable and unreal and painful and unjust and unfair, sometimes we have to live with something.

Editor's Note: CNN's Jill Dougherty spoke with Major Stephen Roberts, officer at the medical unit at Camp Liberty, Iraq (near Baghdad). Jill met him while filming a story on the soldiers who shaved their heads to raise money for children with cancer back home (watch). She shares her latest conversation with Major Roberts about Memorial Day here:

Jill Dougherty
U.S. Affairs Correspondent

At 3pm, Baghad time, the doctors, nurses and medics at Camp Liberty's medical clinic near Baghdad will pause, along with their fellow soldiers and U.S. citizens around the world, for a National Moment of Remembrance. But it comes right in the middle of sick call hours. With sick and wounded soldiers waiting for help, there's not a lot of time to spend in remembrance.

So Major Steven Roberts, MD, will call the clinic to attention, say a few words about the importance of Memorial Day. His staff will observe a moment of silence in honor of their fallen comrades - and then, back to work!

In his other life back in Washington, DC, Major Roberts is Attending Physician, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, providing treatment for children with cancer. Even at their young ages, they're in the fight for their lives and, here, his patients often are too.

Mayor Roberts says Memorial Day brings home not only the sacrifice of men and women for their country but the loneliness that all of them endure. "Thoughts of my family are constantly with me throughout my day," he says, "and missing them is a constant ache that never really stops. It can be hidden temporarily by busyness, but at the end of the day, that gnawing sensation is still there..."

Major Roberts says his thoughts aren't "profound." What he misses is the everyday happiness of being at home, with the people he loves. "Sleeping in a little later than normal (on a comfortable mattress without the sounds of gunfire or explosions in the distance) ; drinking a good, cold beer, etc. Simply put, holidays hurt."

He also loves the tradition of the backyard barbecue, what he calls "a uniquely American event."

"I tend to disagree with those who lament that Memorial Day seems to have degenerated into simply a three-day weekend of barbecuing," he writes. "Here is why: The soldiers we remember on this day died to protect the way of life of this country. I truly believe that if you could ask most of the servicemembers who can't participate because of their "ultimate sacrifice" most would say that they would want to spend the day together with family and good friends. In a sense, it is backyard barbecues, in as much as they represent something about the value of family and friends, that these men and women died to protect."

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Remembering our troops... and how you can help...

1LT Keith Heidtman

1LT Rose MacHarg
566 Medical Company (AS) Executive Officer
Serving in Iraq at Camp Liberty, near Baghdad

Memorial Day was never too significant to me until my unit began its train-up to go to Iraq. Sure, I had family members who had fought in past conflicts and had taken my share of history courses in school. Even though I had completed 4 years of Army ROTC and 2 years of active duty, I never quite grasped the significance of it until the days after Memorial Day of 2007.

It was May 30 2007 and I was running weekend errands. On a whim, I stopped to get a quick haircut. As I was waiting, I happened to glance at the TV and CNN was on. I watched the featured story for a few minutes, lost interest and started to look away. All of a sudden the screen segued to faces of Soldiers with a caption of “Fallen Soldiers.”

The first face was a shock to me.

It was 1LT Keith Heidtman. Keith had been in my squad during a 5-week training camp for ROTC cadets at Ft. Lewis, WA in 2004. I recognized him immediately. The caption said that his helicopter was shot down by enemy fire over Baghdad on 28 May, 2007—Memorial Day. His co-pilot was killed was well. Ground teams were sent to the scene and those 6 Soldiers were killed by IEDs in their attempt to rescue them.

I felt the terrible feeling of realization that the fun and games of college and ROTC were over. The light-heartedness we had at Ft. Lewis during those 5 weeks of training left no indication for what really lay in store for him. I remember his determination to become a pilot, and his quiet yet self-assured ways and his willingness to help me and others in the squad when we needed it.

In the Army, there are so many training events where you quickly bond with people during a very short, yet intense period of time, then need to part ways almost as fast as training began. Everyone says how the Army is a small place, so it’s always a great surprise to see old friends and battle buddies at duty stations or overseas. It deeply saddened me that that was the way in which I saw Keith again.

After that, the reality of what we were doing became much more tangible. The fact that he lost his life on Memorial Day has given me an entirely new appreciation for the sacrifices so many people have made, and how each life affects so many others. On 26 May, 2008, I will be remembering Keith and all the other Soldiers from past and present conflicts who have accepted the immense risk of serving, realizing the great cost that could come, but who do it anyway.

Read more about 1LT Keith Heidtman here...

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Remembering our troops... and how you can help...

David M. Reisner
360 Digital Producer

Bloggers,

Happy Memorial Day.

More than 500,000 U.S. troops are currently assigned and deployed overseas this Memorial Day…

Over the weekend I reached out to a few soldiers stationed around the world asking them what it's like for troops spending Memorial Day away from home and what this national Holiday now means to them. Here is one such response:

CPT Paul A Brown HHC: This is when I flew to Camp Taji for a conference on supporting Multi-National Division-Baghdad and how the focus might change if/when the Surge Brigades begin to leave

CPT Paul A. Brown HHC
168th Brigade Support Battalion
(Camp Liberty, Iraq)

I am the Adjutant (Personnel Officer) for the 168th Brigade Support Battalion which has three primary missions in support of Multi-National Division-Baghdad and Multi-National Division-Central. The "Make It Happen" (our motto) battalion provides supply, maintenance and distribution support to more than 80,000 Soldiers.

I manage all personnel, financial, discipline, awards, and public affairs for over 1,000 Soldiers in the battalion..

I miss everyone immensely and I cannot wait to be home. Erin, I love you and miss you the most. Not a second goes by that I stop missing you. I love you Sweetie and will be home soon.
__________

Q. What is lit ike for the troops spending Memorial day away from home?
A. Since being in Iraq, I don't see any difference in the days. Maybe a change in menu at the Dining Facilities, but other than that, it is just another day. Don't get me wrong, I miss my family, but you just block it out and focus on the mission. That is a way I deal with being away from my wife Erin. I look at each day as the same as the last. It is a 15 month "Groundhog Day" where the only break is 18 days of leave and an occasional change in mission, but even that becomes a routine after a while.

Q. What events/services do the military provide on Memorial Day?
A. I will be doing a "Combat Patch Ceremony" for two units that have recently deployed. This ceremony will officially mark new Soldiers as Veterans of Combat, a visual representation of what they have done and what they are doing.

Q. What do you miss about Memorial Day back home?
A. I miss my wife Erin and family. The parties and barbeques are nice, but they are nothing without the love of the thing that makes you whole. As to the beach, we have sand everywhere, so I can do without a beach for a while.

Q. What would you do on previous Memorial Day's?...
A. I used to go to local ceremonies for Veterans in my home town, barbeques, and of course parties.

Q. Most consider Memorial Day a 'day off' – how has that changed for you?
A. I do not believe most people can be blamed for viewing it as a "day off".
I believe most people were never taught the significance of what Servicemen and women have done to ensure freedom. I believe that this view of a "day off" has changed in the last seven years and will continue to change. I am always reminded of the old quote by President Coolidge "The nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten".

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Remembering our troops... and how you can help...

Bloggers, wanted to share this story with you: CNN Hero Kaylee Marie Radzyminski sends CDs and DVDs by the thousands to U.S. troops. The #1 thing troops miss is family... The #2 thing? Entertainment... Hear her thoughts on how her one-person mission has become a national effort.

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Remembering our troops... and how you can help...

Sgt. Jerome Bishop

Not long ago while I was sitting at my desk at work, a Soldier presented an interesting question, not because of what it was, but what made it interesting is why it was asked.

"So what's Memorial Day, again?" the Soldier asked.

This kind of disturbed me. As it turns out, the confusion came from the difference between Memorial Day and Veteran's Day. While both are federal holidays to remember our nation's servicemembers past and present, only one commemorates the living.

The one that doesn't is May 26, the last Monday in May. That one would be Memorial Day. I just never thought I'd have to explain that to someone.

When Memorial Day comes around, a lot of thoughts rush to mind. Memories of picnics with the family, maybe catching the Indianapolis 500 Indy car race with a cold beverage in hand or enjoying the sun at a nearby public pool that just opened for the summer – all of which are easily recognizable traits of Memorial Day. All the while, the true meaning of Memorial Day remains hidden in the back of our mind – if it's even there at all.

Read full story...

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Remembering our troops... and how you can help...

Marine Sgt. Jesse Strong.

Vicki Strong
Proud Gold Star Mother of Marine Sgt. Jesse Strong, Killed in Action 1/26/05

Growing up as a young girl in a large suburban town in the 60's and 70's, I had no experience honoring Memorial Day as it should be recognized. I have no memories of being introduced to proud veterans who had served our country, and I had no knowledge of, or appreciation for, what my freedom had cost thousands of men and women throughout history.

How dramatically my life was changed when my son graduated from Marine Corps boot camp just two weeks before September 11, 2001, and I suddenly realized that our freedom is defended and protected by brave, proud, young soldiers like my Marine son. I was learning to not take for granted so many things about our lives that we as Americans don't even think about...our form of government, our freedom to worship, to shop, to be educated, to work, and live quiet peaceful lives in our own homes...

One week before the first Iraqi election in January of 2005 my son called us from Iraq to let us know that he would be busy securing the polls for their anticipated election day. It was our last conversation, as four days later headlights drove up our driveway in northern Vermont on a cold January night, and two solemn looking Marines got out and stood at our door. We knew instantly why they were there and what they had come to tell us.

Our brave son, Marine Sgt. Jesse Strong, along with three other fine Marines, had been killed by a rocket propelled grenade in an ambush during a night mission.

While we were experiencing our first agonizing days and nights of grief, and as we were anxiously waiting for our son's body to be returned to us from Iraq, the Iraqi people tentatively stepped out of their homes for the first time to vote and take some of their first baby steps of freedom. Our son died helping an oppressed people to gain that freedom, and he died proudly serving his country.

As winters are cold In Vermont, and the ground is frozen in January, we had to wait until May to bury our son's body. We chose Memorial Day of 2005 for his burial, and many of his Marine Corps comrades, who served with him in Iraq, were able to attend and be his pallbearers.

Now on Memorial Day, I not only remember our son and his ultimate sacrifice for freedom, but the many men and women who have served and are presently serving our country for the cause of freedom in the world.

The precious cost of freedom is utmost on my mind and heart every day as we mourn the loss of our son. Our freedom is awesome, and it should not be taken lightly by those of us who enjoy it's blessings. Memorial Day is a reminder to us as Americans to be thankful for the men and women who have given their greatest treasure - their lives - to protect us and to defend us, so that we can lead abundant lives of our choosing. May we never take that price for granted.

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Remembering our troops... and how you can help...

Nick and Tracy Miller before his deployment to Iraq

Tracy Miller
Towson, MD
Mother of Nicholas L. Ziolkowski

Every year at this time I run the gamut of emotions. It’s Spring, the weather holds great promise, I see lush green when I look outside..

…then I think, every year, that the leaves are never fully on the trees until Nick’s birthday, April 21.

It’s not that I need a reminder like Memorial Day or Spring, even, to think about Nick. I thought about him and his brother every day when they were growing up.

But now that Nick (Cpl. Nicholas L. Ziolkowski, USMC) is dead—KIA, Fallujah 2004—those thoughts are tinged with sadness.

I thought, like so many of my generation, that after Vietnam we could not have another such war. I blame President Bush and his cronies for Nick’s death. I am angry, and I am frustrated.

How much longer can our country withstand the abuses perpetrated upon it by our government?
I think back to the year 2000. Certainly, things weren’t perfect, but we had the respect of other nations, we were hopeful as we faced a new millennium, the economy was showing signs of problems but still stable, and Nick was still alive.

On Memorial Day, my heart goes out to the increasing number of families who have lost loved ones, and I recommit myself to trying to make life better for those vets who survived.

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Remembering our troops... and how you can help...