Thank You for Your Service

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

— John 15:13

Memorial Day was first observed as Decoration Day in 1866 to commemorate those who died in the War Between the States with the placement of flowers as grave decorations. It is a day set aside in deference to American patriots who pledged and gave their lives to support and defend the Rule of Law enshrined in our Constitution.

Our nation’s founders clearly understood that the burden of sustaining liberty would be calculated in human sacrifice. As John Adams noted, “I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost to maintain this Declaration [of Independence] and support and defend these States.”

Since our nation’s founding, more than one million American soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have paid the ultimate price in defense of our nation, and it is their final sacrifice that we honor with solemn reverence today. 

Thank a living veteran for his or her service, visit a Veterans Cemetery and leave a flower at a grave, attend a parade, explain the meaning of what today means to the younger generation, observe a moment of silence and remember how lucky we all are to be living in a country where our freedom and security has been given to us by those who have served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice and continue to do so today. 

Veterans, thank you for your service.