On the recordMay 27, 2010
As you are aware, on Memorial Day citizens across our great country pause to reflect on our fallen heroes. American hearts swell with pride as men and women everywhere stand just a little bit taller when hearing our National Anthem, and they feel a lump in their throat at the sound of a bugle playing taps. We stand proud and remember our Nation's sons and daughters who no longer stand with us but whose names and memories remain forever preserved in our hearts. On Memorial Day, our Nation weighs and respects the price of our freedom. We can and we should learn from those Americans who went to war but never returned home. For them, service meant accepting the risk that they might not have a chance to enjoy the freedom their service protects. They selflessly chose to serve anyway. For the fallen, honor meant the privilege of wearing a U.S. military uniform and a chance to earn the respect that it garners around the world despite the risk that it might make them a target for those who mean us harm. For them, selflessness meant answering a call for help from a fellow soldier, without hesitation, even if chances were high that it would be their final act. These timeless qualities of service, honor, respect, and selflessness form the bedrock of military service in a free society.
