When The Shooting Stops: Take A Moment To Go Silent On Memorial Day

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Take A Moment To Go Silent On Memorial Day

I like a good hotdog and a beer as much as the next guy -- maybe more than the next two guys -- but it's important that everyone remember that this Monday is not really about firing up the grill and getting an extra day off from work. We're talking Memorial Day, people, and let's start by keeping our two main "military holidays" clear and distinct. Veterans Day celebrates all who have served our country in the armed forces. Memorial Day, which we observe on Monday, recognizes those who have lost their lives in serving our nation.

The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) announced yesterday that it is asking all Americans to ‘Go Silent’ this Memorial Day "...in honor of the 6,442 Americans who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11."

“This Memorial Day, as Americans head to barbecues and the beach, IAVA will head to hallowed ground from Arlington to The Presidio. For our community, there is no other day of the year when the civilian-military divide feels greater," said Paul Rieckhoff, founder and Executive Director of IAVA. "We have lost more than 6,400 brothers and sisters in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. These fallen Americans stand apart for their bravery, sacrifice and last full measure of devotion for our country. As we come together to support their families, IAVA encourages all Americans to unite with us this Memorial Day and pledge a moment of silence at 12:01pm in honor of their lives and legacies.”

Sadly, most of our citizens will not even remember what holiday we're celebrating this weekend and all IAVA is asking is that all of us take a moment of silence at 12:01pm on Monday to remember those we have lost in war. This timing coincides with the Wreath of Remembrance service at Arlington National Cemetery.

I will be at Arlington for the first time on Memorial Day and I know it will be both a rewarding and emotional day -- as it is for all Veterans and military families. And there's certainly nothing wrong with Americans kicking back, relaxing and enjoying the long weekend -- but we should all take just a few moments to remember how much of great consequence has been given for our country.

Said Rieckhoff: “For veterans of all generations, Memorial Day is a solemn time to remember all one million Americans who have died to protect our freedoms. It’s important for the entire country to commemorate that sacrifice, as well as build a foundation for the hundreds of thousands of troops still serving in Afghanistan and around the world."

4 comments:

AlizaMay 26, 2012 at 9:07 AM
My daddy was a Navy vet. I wear an anchor on my ankle in his honor. I will mark Memorial by being silent at 12:01 - you can count on it.
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Paul JamiolMay 27, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Bob, Great to see you back blogging and looking forward to your posts!
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Why This Blog?

I spent a lot of the last decade pissed off -- really pissed off. And my writing at the time reflected it: Angry, pointed and focused like a laser on everything I did not like about the previous administration and, in particular, the war in Iraq, which as a military Veteran, left me fuming more days than not.

My opposition to the Iraq war was specifically because of having been in the military and my unshakable belief that our men and women in uniform were serving honorably and with tremendous courage in a war that was not worthy of their sacrifice. I stand by every word I wrote during that time, but I would be lying if I said there were not some things that I wish I could take back. Thus is the lot you draw for yourself when you are angry and where most of what you care about is what you are against, rather than what you are for.

This web site and my upcoming book, When The Shooting Stops, will be all about what I am for: Our newest military families who have sacrificed so much over the last 10 years, the people who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and our duty as a nation to see that what they gave -- and what they risked -- is honored and never forgotten.

I can't promise I will never take a political tone -- can any of us ever swear to that these days? What I do promise is that I will damned well try to keep this blog about the people who are wearing the uniform, those who have served and their families. I may call some people out, but I will try to make the criteria for that criticism what they do for or against the interests of our military people and Veterans and not what political party they belong to.

After feeling at odds for so many years with my more conservative friends, it feels good to come back to something that, at its core, is something most people can agree with -- our military families and Veterans gave to us and we must remember to give back to them.

Thanks for reading.