More than a Memorial Day

From behind a tree, our drill sergeant came charging down from the ridge, yelling at the trainees who were frozen there out in the open.

“Don’t run for cover now!” he screamed. “You’re already dead!”

Years ago, at 19, I left home on a bus as a private citizen to enter the U.S. Army as a trainee. Soon my head was shaved. The clippers replaced my vanity with a crew cut, and life in the barracks ended any thought of privacy. But in exchange for all of that, I received a well-worn camaraderie within the platoon.

As trainees, we didn’t always like each other. But whether I liked the guy next to me or not, I knew that he understood what I was going through. He was living it too.

We all had the same bruises and blisters and youthful confusion. The group discipline forced us to think in terms of “we” instead of “me.”

There was really no other way to make it.

Each day before sunrise we ran for miles—baptized by our own sweat.

Nineteen years after basic training, I’m a soldier still with the Louisiana National Guard. Carrying a 30-pound rucksack today lets me weigh the balance between the rigors of military duty and the freedoms enjoyed in our nation. During my National Guard weekends, it is routine to reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day.

While a three-day weekend can be a time for a beach trip getaway, blockbuster movie openings, or holiday sales, it’s worth remembering the importance of the holiday.

“In 29 years of service as a naval aviator, I’ve lost a number of friends—each and every one of them a volunteer and a patriot,” says Capt. Alton Ross, a Baton Rouge native and commanding officer of the U.S. Navy R.O.T.C. at Southern University. “They deserve my solemn respect for what they have given to me and my family.”

Ross and others say acknowledgement of servicemen and servicewomen often comes unexpectedly.

“I’m still taken by surprise at times when I’m asked to stand and be recognized for my military service at public events,” says Lt. Col. Mary McKeon of U.S. Air Force R.O.T.C. at LSU. She and her husband, also a veteran, look at each other as if to ask, “Are you going to stand?” ?

McKeon’s hesitance is never for a lack of pride.

“We feel so unworthy,” she says, “compared to those who gave their lives to defend our country.”

Retired Major Gen. Hunt Downer of the Louisiana National Guard says that these lives lost have a far-reaching impact on the lives of those back home. They mean more than names etched on a memorial.

As ex-speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives and the former assistant adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, Downer has witnessed the sacrifices of veterans across the state.

“You know, freedom is not free,” Downer says. “It is paid for with our most precious commodity—the lives of our citizens, the lives of those who served—the blood, sweat, and tears they shed.”

For Americans, freedom can mean the many everyday things that we are free to enjoy.

“I try to remember how blessed I am,” says Marine Corps Capt. Daniel Struzik, an R.O.T.C. Instructor at Southern University. “Not just the big things—my beautiful wife and two wonderful children—but also the small things: a book, a meal, or just a good laugh with a friend.”

Less than 1% of the U.S. population serves in the military, but everyone can appreciate those simple things like Struzik does.

“I don’t take lightly what is done by so few for so many in service to our country, and given time to properly reflect, I believe all citizens would feel the same,” says Navy Capt. Rosco Ross.

One place locals can broaden their education about fallen veterans is the Baton Rouge National Cemetery at 220 North 19th Street. At 7.7 acres, the beautifully maintained cemetery holds more than 5,400 respectfully interred veterans. It’s a clear reminder of those who gave all.

“One day out of every year, we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in their service to our nation, and so we should,” McKeon says. “There is a lot of debate as to who should be called ‘hero’ today. The fallen men and women who can no longer stand up and be recognized are the true heroes who deserve all our applause.”