I hope you guys are having a happy Memorial Day weekend. While we’re celebrating, we have to remember to look up, and nod a thank you to the people who served and do serve in the armed forces, worked in the factories, plowed on the farms, gave us birth and fed us, taught us how to light a fire and safely handle a knife, and all those other jobs and tasks that helped to give us a free country.
As Andy always notes, “To them, we owe a solemn obligation.”
As with many such things there is a story behind my signature on the forum. I was a 2nd Lt, with a forward communications team I had previously served on as a technician. My boss was a “crusty” battle scarred marine Lt Col. After a night of fighting we were loading out remains, including my first loss as a unit commander. He emphasized to me how important it was to “formally” say something meaningful to those remaining. He then solemnly spoke the most meaningful farewell I had ever heard. The only thingI could remember was the solemn obligation. Years later at the Air War College I discovered that he had used a part of Admiral Nimitz's speech from the signing of the Japanese Surrender. Luckily I never needed to use it, but I still keep it in my memory pocket.
“They fought together as brothers in arms, they died together, and now they sleep side by side. To them, we have the solemn obligation. The obligation to ensure that their sacrifice will help make this a better and safer world in which to live.”
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz
