Memorial Day, Paying Our Respects While Looking Ahead

Memorial Day is a time of sober remembrance and solemn reverence of the roughly 1.3 million men and women who have died serving our country since the start of the Revolutionary War.  These courageous men and women gave their lives all too soon, while completing missions that were all too important.  In 2005, in his speech at Arlington Cemetery on Memorial Day, President George W. Bush quoted a letter written by Army Sergeant Michael Evans of Marrero, Louisiana, prior to his untimely death in Western Baghdad earlier that year, "...I gave my life so that you can live.  Not just live, but live free."  Few could put it more directly and more eloquently than Sergeant Evans; the young men and women of his generation and generations before him died to defend the very crux of this nation: Freedom.  As our country finds itself deeply entrenched in wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan, it is more necessary than ever to stop to pay the proper respects to our dearly departed men and women in uniform. 

While we pause to remember our fallen service members this Memorial Day, it is equally vital to look forward to champion the men and women still currently serving our country in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world.  In 1996, in a speech at Arlington Cemetery, President Bill Clinton declared, "On this Memorial Day, let us draw inspiration from the spirit that surrounds us, to give those who still defend our freedom and security in the military today the support they need and deserve to fulfill their important mission."  Although those words were uttered over a decade ago, they ring true on this Memorial Day in 2011.  We need to remember that the small adjustments and decisions can make a big difference, and those adjustments start from the ground up.  For instance, this summer, the United States Air Force will grant a contract to build Light Air Support and Light Attack and Armed Reconnaissance aircraft.  Two frontrunners have surfaced for this contract: Hawker Beechcraft and Embraer.  American Hawker Beechcraft has proposed an aircraft designed to accommodate roughly 95 percent of the military's potential male and female pilot population.  The competitor, Brazilian-based Embraer, has submitted an aircraft for consideration that relies on outdated standards and will fail to accommodate a large percentage of female pilots.  The wrong decision in this contract could result in a major setback for the career advancement of female pilots.  Respect is best manifested by equality.  The paramount method to show respect for our current service members is to give them equal opportunities for career advancement within the military.  Let us all remember that this Memorial Day.