Thank You For Your Sacrifice

On Saturday the class of 2006 graduated from West Point. The day brought a lot of emotion for me as I remembered my graduation and also wondered what lay ahead for the most recent members of the Long Grey Line. Will they look at the pictures and hear the stories of the cadets still at West Point and find it hard to believe that they themselves actually attended the Academy, let alone graduated? Will they look back fondly on the friendships and memories they forged during their four, sometimes five, years and both miss the time spent there and at the same time offer up a prayer of thanksgiving to God that they one of the ones who were able to walk away with a diploma and commission in hand? Will members of the class of 2006 find themselves, like many of my classmates, deployed to Iraq of Afghanistan in less then six-and-a-half months?

I most likely will not come away from this deployment with any war stories to tell, but this Memorial Day I’ve realized that I will go home with much more respect for my fellow soldiers who serve and those who have served before me. The closest I get to any combat are reports and pictures of the attacks. While some of the pictures are very graphic, I have yet to come close to tears over what I’ve seen. Instead, my emotions threaten to overwhelm me when strangers back home show their thanks and support for the troops serving our country.

Growing up I didn’t see Memorial Day as anything more than the last four day weekend before school ended for the summer. Somewhere in my mind I knew it was a day to honor those who had served our country, but thoughts of playing outside with friends, going camping, or the first trip to the pool, were at the forefront of my thoughts. Today marks the first Memorial Day where I have actually spent time remembering those who serve both now, and those who served before me.

My sacrifice over here is nothing compared to what some of my fellow soldiers go through. When those back home offer their thanks and support for those serving our country I think of soldiers like the two who were in front of me in line at the PX the other day. I could tell from their dust covered hands and faces and the grim on their uniforms that they were just passing through and had not had a chance to relax on a camp in a while. They were not complaining about the heat, the danger, of their lack of comfort, but instead seemed happy to be able to have a short break and pick up a few items before headed back outside the wire on their mission. They are who are out there day in and day out risking their lives over here. They are the ones who deserve the thanks. Memorial Day is not a day to argue about the politics of war, and it is not just a reason for a four day weekend from school or work. It is a day to honor and remember soldiers like the two in the PX who have served throughout the decades making many sacrifices, and sometimes the ultimate sacrifice, for our country and our freedom.