Memorial Day - not to be confused with Veterans Day
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died while serving in our nation. Traditional observance of Memorial Day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. Some people wrongly think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.
Veterans Day honors those individuals who have served in the armed forces; also known as veterans. It coincides with Armistice Day and Remembrance Day which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark the anniversary of the end of World War I.
From Michael Norman’s book
These Good Men
I now know why men who have been to war yearn to reunite. Not to tell stories or look at old pictures. Not to laugh or weep. Comrades gather because they long to be with the men who once acted their best, men who suffered and sacrificed, who were stripped raw, right down to their humanity.
I did not pick these men. They were delivered by fate. But I know them in a way I know no other men. I have never given anyone such trust. They were willing to guard something more precious than my life. They would have carried my reputation, the memory of me. It was part of the bargain we all made, the reason we were so willing to die for one another.
I cannot say where we are headed. Ours are not perfect friendships; those are the province of legend and myth. A few of my comrade's drift far from me now, sending back only occasional word. I know that one day even these could fall to silence. Some of the men will stay close, a couple, perhaps, always at hand.
As long as I have memory, I will think of them all, every day. I am sure that when I leave this world, my last thought will be of my family and my comrades...such good men.
***
Make Reservations for ARM 2013
The U.S. Army Ranger Association Annual Ranger Muster (ARM) will be held Monday July 22 thru Friday July 26 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Columbus, Georgia.
The ARM schedule coincides with the 75th Ranger Regiment Rendezvous.
Rooms have been reserved at the DoubleTree Hotel for Saturday July 21, 2013 – Sunday July 28. These dates allow members to arrive early and stay through the 75th Ranger Regiment Association Reunion.
Click here to go to the ARM 2013 web page for more information.
The easiest way to register for ARM 2013 and pay by credit card by clicking on Register online for ARM 2013 and logging in. Complete the online registration form, add guest registrations and pay the total amount.
If you prefer you can download the registration form by clicking on ARM 2013 Registration Form. Send the completed form with a check for payment to USARA.
 |
Join us on Facebook |
 |
Follow us on Twitter |
