Photo: That's me in the lower right corner of an AAV-7, an amphibious assault vehicle.
Image © Copyright 2008 Michael Seto
Wishing everyone a great Memorial Day Weekend. Recall that this is a time of remembrance to honor those who sacrifice to serve the greater good; not just a long weekend to get away or BBQ. I ran into some sailors in uniform last night at my local bar; they were in NYC for Fleet Week. Chatting with them, their professionalism, commitment, and patriotism was evident. The couldn't have been older than 25 - the same age as me in the photo above.
Anyway, the bumper sticker flag lapel pin jingoism that passes as patriotism today may be cheeseball and easily scoffed at. But as someone who has led young men into combat, the true virtues of sacrifice, commitment, morality, integrity, and service to the greater good continues in those who go into harm's way for us.
As Admiral Nimitz said of the Marines on Iwo Jima, "Uncommon valor was a common virtue." The same is true today, bumper sticker or not.
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