Today I remember 2LT James Lim.
Today I remember Cadet Joel Menzel.
Today I remember SFC Daniel Morales.
Memorial Day is here, and I am remembering the friends I lost along the way. I remember my brothers and sisters who never came home. I remember the sacrifices made by the best of us.
Today, remember that this is not a holiday for some, but a day of mourning. Remember that the people who fight for us would abhor the tribalism and sectarianism we see today. Remember that the ones we lost were people, and that each life is irreplaceable.
And if today, on this day of remembrance, you choose to use the deaths of Soldiers as a boost for your political side, you can fuck straight the hell off.
In the words of GEN Demspey:
"This day, of all days of the year, should not be about any one of us. No matter how prestigious or powerful, no matter how successful we perceive ourselves to be. Rather this day should be about those who gave their lives so that we could live ours in freedom."