When was the last time you visited a War Memorial? How did you feel about it?

I recently visited my very good friend at his grave. I had a long talk, and shed tears with his brother. I left some coins from others that asked me to. It was the 10th anniversary, but it took that long for me to be able to bring myself to go. I told his brother about the last words he said to me in Iraq.......It needed to happen.

Last month I needed some quite reflection, so on my lunch hour I went over to Arlington and visited the grave of MA2 Mark Mayo, killed in the line of duty at Naval Station Norfolk protecting a shipmate, the graves of the brothers lost on Operation Red Wings, and the grave of the first Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Delbert Black. We must never forget those that set our course, and who have gone before us.

Although I respect service members from all generations, Vietnam vets are my favorite! This is because they didn't have the support of their own countrymen like we have today. I was able to see the Vietnam memorial in 2012 and it was an honor just to stand by their wall!

The last time I visited anything it was Arlington. It was after my second deployment. I went with my now Ex-Wife, who got pissed at me while I was there. She was a military history buff and loved it. She noticed the scowl on my face and thought I was bored and didn't want to be there. She was speechless when I explained it.

I was upset with myself, and my guilt. It was there that I realized that I had known people in that cemetery, but not WHO. I remembered an incident, January 20th, 2006, on my first deployment where I was sitting across from an officer eating breakfast in the chow hall on FOB Duke, Iraq. He was complaining to my Team Leader about a useless convoy he had to do that day. They were going to Baghdad for a meeting that did not need to be face to face. My team leader tried to cheer him up, and it worked to an extent. This officer hanging out with my team in his off time was not that strange, my Team Leader and Team Sergeant had magnetic personalities, so I broke bread with this man often, but I was an E-3 at the time and wasn't paying much attention. That day he died in a catastrophic IED strike. My team conducted the post blast. All this and I couldn't even remember his name as I walked through Arlington. I felt shame, and anger at myself because the shame was deserved.

I promised myself it would never happen again. I would remember every one after that.

I work right around the corner from navy seal Danny Dietz it's emotional to say the least

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL, I visited the grave of SSG Barry Sadler at the Nashville National Cemetery on 6APR13. SSG Sadler (November 1, 1940 - November 5, 1989) was an American soldier, author, singer and songwriter. SSG Sadler served as a Special Forces combat medic with the United States Army during the Vietnam War, and is most famous for his song, the "Ballad of the Green Berets".
To me, it's standing on hallowed ground.
Requiescat in pace.

SFC (Join to see), you might find this to be of interest also.

1LT L S

Just last August I was at Arlington National Cemetery. It is amazing how it overwhelms you and makes you reflect. I felt the same a few years back at Fort Sumter and also while I visited the Arizona memorial in Pearl. I believe For anybody who has served these places affect us very profoundly. And I don't think the average person really understands the sacrifices that where made.

We have a park here in Klamath Falls that is dedicated to the memories of the veterans of the wars fought here in America. I go there on Memorial day, Veterans day, 9/11 and December 7 as well as Vietnam Veterans day. I am proud to see the names in the bricks surrounding the central kiosk. There are small monuments surrounding this kiosk, each one listing the contribution of soldiers from the area to the war efforts of this nation.

I actually visited a Civil War Memorial today (by accident) in Denmark, New York. It's always great to drive through different towns and see these memorials.

This is a local Memorial to MSG Bernard Deghand. He was killed in Afghanistan in Sep 2006. I was his 1SG in 2003 and served with him for over 10 years in other capacities. Holton, KS holds a Memorial Ceremony each September to honor his service.