05/25/2026
I've been thinking about what today actually means.
Not the cookouts or the long weekend — the reason the day exists.
The people from every branch who raised their hand, knew what could happen, and then it did.
They joined for all kinds of reasons. Duty. Family tradition. A way out. A way up. Some just needed somewhere to belong.
In the end, the reason matters less than the choice.
They made that choice.
And they made the ultimate sacrifice for it.
But it was never just them.
It was the parents who got the knock at the door. The spouse left with half a life. The kids who grew up with stories instead of a parent. The siblings, the shipmates, and the ones who came home carrying that weight every day since.
That's who today is for.
The ones we lost.
And the ones still living with the loss.
So take a moment to reflect on their sacrifice, and the loss for all who loved them.
Semper Fortis.
Kevin
