Memorial Day has traditionally been one of the most solemn and patriotic
days for Americans.
Rightfully so.
Memorial Day is a day when all Americans, regardless of ideologies, race,
creed, or political persuasion, join together to remember the sacrifices
of those who answered their nation's call.
The significance of this day is sometimes confused or distorted. The true
meaning of Memorial Day becomes at times, distant or vague, lost to commercialism,
or drowned in forgetful indulgence. Sometimes, there is a failure to recognize
the magnitude of the deeds of the men and women who held true to the notion
that evil and tyranny must not prevail.
It is our sacred duty to keep the legacy of our nation's patriots forever
fresh in the memories of future generations. We are bound by honor to do
so. They fought and died to preserve this land of hopes and dreams.
Without the courage, valor and singleness of purpose of our nation's veterans,
the values that have always made it possible for us to meet new challenges,
and move forward as a nation, would have been lost.
The freedoms that so many Americans enjoy did not come cheaply. They were
paid for with the flesh and blood of American servicemen and women, and
with the tears of those whose lives were changed forever by the loss of
a loved one.
Memorial Day is a day of opportunity to give thanks for all that we are
blessed with. It should also be a day that we rededicate ourselves to our
country and to America's living veterans and their families in memory of
the sacrifices they and others have made.
Veterans will gather to honor fallen comrades on this day -- friends with
whom they shared a foxhole or a meal. Their time together may have been
brief, but the bonds were deeply formed. Life and feelings are intensified
when there is sharing of hardship and laughter; fear and loss.
As Americans pay tribute to those who perished, we must be determined to
assure that those who served and returned to us receive proper care and
compensation for their wounds and infirmities. We must insist that every
veteran has an opportunity for employment, education, and a home in which
to live. We must vow that our veterans be treated with the dignity and respect
they so richly deserve.
To properly honor our dead, we must honor our living. The defenders of this
Nation have fulfilled their obligations to us; it is now our duty to honor
all of the obligations owed to them.
Every Department of Veterans Affairs employee understands and appreciates
the tremendous burdens and challenges many veterans are faced with. That
is why "Putting Veterans First" is more than just a motto with
the people at the VA. It is what they believe in; it is what they do.
It is a responsibility with which we all are charged -- to do our best to
repay the debt that is owed to those who have presented us with our most
precious gift ... freedom.