God Bless all of the service members of the United States, including Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guard!

Another year has passed and we have lost another ten service members who called Central Texas and Ft. Hood their home. This brings the total number of service members from Central Texas killed while supporting operations in Afghanistan and Iraq to almost 600. These Heroes, along with all of the rest of our Fallen Heroes from around the country and the world, joined the military to serve their country. They each did their job honorably and professionally. It is because of these types of men and women that Americans are able to enjoy the freedoms that we have today. The freedom to choose their paths in life; to practice their religions; to protest peaceably and to go wherever they choose in this great country.

Americans today enjoy these freedoms because of the sacrifices made by men and women in uniform in all of this country’s previous wars and conflicts. Those men and women are remembered on memorials across the country and even in other countries. Will the men and women lost in the current wars be so fondly remembered 50 years from now?

That question can only be answered by the actions of each and every person alive now. It is our duty and moral responsibility to honor these men and women by respecting their service and their ultimate sacrifices. Memorial Day was first observed on May 30^th, 1836. It is now recognized on the last Monday in May each year. This year, incidentally, Memorial Day will be observed on May 30^th. This is a three day weekend for most people and is commonly recognized as the first weekend of summer.  Picnics will be planned, parties will be organized and reunions held. There will be barbeques, parades and carnivals. Businesses will have Memorial Day sales, specials and one-day-only sales events. Some schools will even have regular school schedules…and our Fallen Soldiers will still be gone. They will not be here to celebrate these things because they made a sacrifice for our freedoms. They gave us the privilege to enjoy these things, but they can no longer be here, standing by our side to appreciate the freedoms that their sacrifices provided.

We owe it to these Heroes to reserve one day per year to honor them. It has already been given to you as a holiday by our government so find a way to honor our Heroes on Memorial Day. Attend a memorial ceremony, place a flag upon a Veterans grave, teach your children the meaning behind Memorial Day, raise a flag in your yard, or attend a church service. Also, remember to observe a moment of silence at 3 pm on Memorial Day.

This is our duty as free Americans to thank our Fallen Heroes on this day. Enjoy the rest of the weekend at parties and barbeques with your family. Or reserve these activities for another weekend. As a country, let’s return Memorial Day to a day in which we remember, reflect and honor the sacrifices of the men and women of the armed forces who sacrificed their lives for us. Let us use this remembrance as a symbol to the world that there is no day of the year more important to us than the day in which we honor our Fallen.

So whether you attend the Memorial Day event in Killeen, or some other event around the country, take the time to show that you care. In the words of poet Moina Michael from 1915:

 We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies

 God bless you and God bless the United State of America!

 Respectfully,

 Patrick M. Turck

President

Central Texas Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund

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* For the history of this memorial, click the link here