This Memorial Day, all of us at Mountain State University remember and honor the men and women who have given their time, energy, even their lives, to protect our freedom. We are indebted to them for their dedicated service.
If you are not a member of the military, it is likely that you have friends or family members who have served in one of the branches of the armed services. I am grateful for a family heritage of military service.
My grandfather told stories about World War II and his time spent in on General MacArthur's staff in Okinawa in the years before my mother's birth. My father, who began his military career at West Point, fought in the Vietnam War. Fresh from high school, my father-in-law enlisted in the Army and trained as a paratrooper. My stepfather, who also enlisted as young man, remembers standing as a guard in Abilene, Kansas at former President Eisenhower's funeral in 1969. My brother Dave, a young platoon leader with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, advanced men to the frontlines of combat during the first Gulf War. I'll never forget the relief and pride I felt on the night the war ended. Nearly twenty years later, he is a Colonel in the Army, and I am still proud.
One way I celebrate Memorial Day is by taking a few minutes to thank my family members for their work in the Army. I may send them an email, write them a note, or call them. I talk with my children about what the holiday means. You may be having a picnic, taking flowers to the grave of a loved one, going to a parade, or showing support by displaying a flag.
Whatever you choose to do, I am sure you will be doing this: remembering, with thankfulness, just as we do here at Mountain State every day.
by Rebecca Robinson
For the most current information on tuition and program options available at MSU for military personnel, please call 866.FOR.MSU1.
