For many Memorial Day signals the onset of Summer with all the pleasantries that go along with it – vacations, barbeques, and family outings. But for those that this day of reflection honors unfortunately they are no longer with us to share in the joys of life because they sacrificed their life (many in the prime of life) as a downpayment for the freedom we as American enjoy today. From the founding of our great nation both men and women have willingly laid down their lives for the cause of freedom in such diverse places as Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, Khe San, and Fallujah to name a few.

Some willingly volunteered for service and others may have been drafted but all shared a common bond of brotherhood that is only forged in armed conflict. As those that have been there will tell you when the bullets start flying you forget about the lofty rhetoric echoed by armchair politicians and rather fight for you and your brother/sister in arms very survival. Armed conflict unfortunately often reduces mankind and those who fight on the front lines to a baseless level where day-to-day survival motivates those who are in harm’s way. Americans have consistently sent their men and women servicemen to the four corners of the globe where they were viewed and selfless liberators vice oppresors.

As a symbol to recognize this self-sacrifice many will be wearing red poppies as a silent tribute to those who we honor on Memorial Day. This practice pays tribute to the famous poem “In Flanders Field” written by Canadian doctor John McCrae which pays homage to the thousands of young men died in their prime in the First World War of the “War to End all Wars” where British Generals diversely were known as ““Donkeys leading Lions” who sent many to their untimely death while utilizing the outdated tactics of direct frontal assaults against mass machine guns and rapid firing artillery. As McCrae noted in part :

Honor their sacrifice.