Remembering Those Who Served

Happy Memorial Day!

The unofficial start of summer. Here in the Midwest, the weather is finally consistently warm. Kids are almost out of school and summer vacations are right around the corner. But Memorial Day is also a time to remember those who served in the military.

To honor of this great day of remembrance, I thought I would share my experience at a war memorial dedication that I attended last weekend.

In my parents' tiny hometown of Mars, PA, a really nice war memorial was built to honor those from the area who died serving their country, as well as commemorate those who served. Five men in my family have bricks with their names engraved.

This one is my personal favorite. It is my dad's brick. He was in the Air Force for 9 years.

I didn't know my dad's dad. He passed away in 1950, so I can't say much about his service.

My mom's dad - I didn't know him either. He was a part of the Third United States Army in Germany. His company participated in Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns.

My Uncle Richard was a Navy man who was in the Korean War. He is the only other Jones brother who was in the military.

My Uncle Jim was in the Army during the Cuban Crisis. He played the trumpet in the Army band, but he really wanted to go overseas.

There is a beautiful granite monument that lists those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Names are listed on the front and the back of the monument. For as small as the area is, it is astounding the number of people listed.

Behind the granite monument is a smaller one that depicts Iwo Jima.

This is really a beautiful area that shows that honors time served in the military. There is a sense of pride that my dad's name is forever associated with his time in the Air Force. He was proud of his military service. He even wore a hat that said Vietnam Veteran. It was one of his favorites.

I am proud to be the daughter of a man who served his country.

A Day to Never Forget

On Facebook and Twitter, people have been sharing where they were when they heard about the terrorist attacks on the United States. I was getting a massage. I was in massage therapy school at the time. Our teacher was giving us a break from normal classroom time and allowing us to practice on other students. The husband of one of the girls in my class called the school. Since a TV was not readily accessible at the moment, we didn't see the initial coverage. However, the days afterward were filled with coverage of lower Manhattan, the Pentagon and rural Pennsylvania.

September 11 has become a day of remembrance. Remembering the lives that were lost. Remembering the people who are living victims. People were going about normal activities when their lives were forever changed. As a country this date has a new meaning.

I have had the opportunity to see Ground Zero since the attacks. It is a somber experience. I can't even imagine the horror that happened at that place 12 years ago. I would like to see the memorial that has since been set up in place of the twin towers, as well as the memorial at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. These are now national landmarks just like the battlefields in Gettysburg or monuments in Washington, D.C.

What can my response be to honor those people whose lives were forever changed? Make sure my family and friends know how much I love them and don't take them for granted.