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Health & Fitness

Remembering Our Fallen Soldiers

U.S. Representative Yvette D. Clarke reflects on the importance of the Memorial Day Holiday.

This Memorial Day, we pause to recognize and honor the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our nation. I am humbled by the opportunity to commemorate this day, and am cognizant of all that we owe to the men and women who gave their lives to protect the values we hold so dear. But as we offer our prayers for the souls that were lost in the service of our nation, let us also open our hearts to the families that have been asked to carry that burden of loss.

It is important that we never forget that there is something that unites us. It is not just a dream of freedom or a desire for justice that binds us as a nation. The United States of America is more than a dream because it has literally been and continues to be wrought from sweat and blood. Our nation continues to be cultivated by all of the people that sacrifice for its success, and still inspires us to lay down our lives if necessary – just like the men and women we honor on Memorial Day - to protect our accomplishments and secure our future. 

It is also important that we offer a prayer for the service men and women that continue to risk their lives for our nation daily. 6,433 American service members have been lost in the line of duty during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and 276 of them come from my home state of New York. Currently, 4,875 men and women are on active duty, serving with the National Guard or in the Reserves from the 11th Congressional District of New York. Furthermore, New York is home to approximately 913,000 veterans.

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As a nation, we made a collective commitment to the members of the armed services that we would take care of them upon their return from their tremendous service to our nation. It is important that we continue creating an economic environment conducive to the hiring of our veterans. We must also hold true to our responsibility to address the losses all of our veterans have suffered. Many wounds cannot be seen, yet they must be treated like any other wound sustained on the field of battle.

I applaud the work that has been done to address the needs of our veterans and military families. I am thankful that we have kept our commitment to ending the war in Iraq, and I look forward to the responsible withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. I also hope you share my wish that no more names be added to our walls of fallen heroes as we try to fashion a lasting peace for all people.  

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As I reflect, it strikes me that it is a universal truth that we are all equal in our passing on from this world; none of us can escape such a destiny. But whether or not we give our lives for ourselves or for something greater than personal legacy is what truly makes a difference. All of our names may be lost to history, but the United States of America has the potential to set an example for all future generations of humanity.  America is something bigger than politics or rhetoric, and so are the individuals that give their lives – both living and non-living – to fulfill our potential as a nation.

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