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Remembering our fellow servicemembers

  • Published
  • By Col. Gary Goldstone
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Commander
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  After serving in the Civil War as a leader with the Army of Ulysses S. Grant, Illinois native Maj. Gen. John Logan devoted his civilian life to public service advocating for a strong Republic, initiating changes and benefits for the country's veterans, and leading the call for the creation of Decoration Day, an annual event now known as Memorial Day.

Logan saw the bloody results from both the Mexican-American and Civil Wars, and bonded with other veterans through an organization called the Grand Army of the Republic. It was under the umbrella of this organization and while General Logan served as its commander-in-chief that May 30th would be declared as a day "for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land."

General Logan believed that it is the duty of survivors of war to honor the memory of their departed comrades. It was also his desire that all Americans unite to renew their pledge to aid and assist the widows and orphans of servicemembers.

Through the years, the country has observed Memorial Day and in 1968 it became a federal holiday as the last Monday in May. There are no prescribed guidelines for observing and honoring our fallen heroes, but it is still customary to place flowers on the graves of these servicemembers and hold a brief, somber ceremony to recognize their service to the nation at the ultimate personal cost.

There are a number of ways to remember the men and women who fought for our nation. We don't have to travel to the war memorials in Washington, D.C.; there are several in our local area. Several of our neighboring communities--Red Bud, Troy, O'Fallon, and Belleville for example--are hosting remembrance ceremonies and parades. We can participate in the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. that day, pausing to reflect on the sacrifices made by so many to provide freedom for all and to renew our efforts to assist the family members left behind. We can also renew our efforts to aid disabled veterans. And we can fly Old Glory! A point of etiquette on flag flying for this special day: our flag is flown at half-staff until noon and then raised to full-staff thereafter.

We should teach our children about those we've lost and set the example in how we choose to observe this day. Picnics and barbecues can set the stage for arranging a moment of reflection and acknowledgement. No matter how you choose to observe Memorial Day please take a moment to observe the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m.

On this Memorial Day, I echo the sentiments of General Logan when he said, "If other eyes grow dull, other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain to us."

The legacy is ours to keep and it is a solemn trust. Let us always remember the brave and fallen. Never forget or take for granted the blood spilt for America.