Remember

During the time I wore my country's uniform, I was mostly in a situation where I was at home. That is, I got up in the morning and went to work.

Only, instead of driving to a factory or an office, I went to an Army post.

We'd occasionally deploy on a training exercise, but those really didn't last all that long. Most of the time, I was, in effect, stationed at home.

Most soldiers aren't so fortunate.

But, during the brief time away from home, we thought of those back home.

When set up in a Georgia swamp or woods, we thought of family back home.

When on the DMZ in Korea, we thought of family back home.

When in the California desert, training for future desert deployments, we thought of those back home.

When in the Sahara, on the border with Libya, we thought of those back home.

When in the Arabian Desert, on the border with Saddam's Iraq, we thought of those back home.

Because that's what soldiers do. That's what those wearing Army, Navy, Marines, or Air Force uniforms do: they think of those back home.

Today is Memorial Day.

It is not the day to think of those who are defending our country. Rather, it's a day to remember a special group of those that defended our country -- those that, while defending our country, gave their lives for you, me, and everyone here in this great land of ours.

I know that they were thinking of you.

The least you can do is think of them.