What are you doing for Memorial Day? A simple question, that for many Americans, invokes the sights, smells and sounds of summer: the first whistle from the lifeguard at the neighborhood pool, the smell of hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill, or maybe an endless line of taillights on the road to a beach or lake house.
This Memorial Day, as I spend time with my own family, I intend to show gratitude for the lives of soldiers Troy S. Knutson-Collins, Jose Duenez Jr., Edvin F. Franco, Dante D. Taitano, and Marines Albert A. Aguilera and Marcelino M. Gamino. These are the names of six service members we tragically lost over these last few weeks during training exercises overseas and in a vehicle accident during deployment at our southern border.
I will be thinking about these service members, all the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and the Gold Star families who will be spending the holiday with an empty seat at the family table.
As someone who has worked closely with the military community for decades, I have witnessed firsthand the weight of this day on the families of the fallen. For them, the pain is not just a memory, it is a daily reality. Their loved ones are not just names etched on memorials or spoken in ceremonies; they are missing from dinner tables, celebration's and life's everyday moments.
I also think about those whose names aren’t memorialized in stone, but who have given their lives in service just the same. Not all wounds of war ar visible, and the toll of service leaves far too many with scars we can't see until its too late. According to the VA, more than 17 veterans die by suicide every day. That's 17 sets of parents, spouses, children, friends and communities facing the unbearable and lonely burden of losing a loved one to suicide.
The sacrifices of our service members are endured by all who love them. Through long separations, frequent moves, and the ever-present fear of a phone call or knock on the door that will change their lives forever, military families carry a burden most civilians cannot fully comprehend, and the debt we owe to Gold Star families is one that can never be repaid.
That’s why I always say that “thank you” isn’t enough when it comes to showing support to our entire military community. We must do more, especially when it comes to the men and women who died for our freedoms, and the families they left behind. I firmly believe the ways we show up for these families is the way we demonstrate the them - and the world- what their sacrifice means to us.
To our elected leaders, I call on you to do just that: show up. Be there to salute the fallen heroes arriving at Dover Air Force Base during the dignified transfer. Be there to embrace the parents, spouses, and children who travel there to welcome their loved one home for the very last time.
Support legislation that honors our veterans with the resources they need to recover from the unseen scars of service, and honor the sacrifice of Gold Star families with benefits, programs, and other tools to make their burden a little bit lighter.
For leaders in industry and the nonprofit sector, you have a unique opportunity to show up – perhaps now, more than ever. Direct philanthropic initiatives to military-connected organizations, give veterans and military family members the opportunity to use their unique gifts to strengthen your workforce, and continue using your platforms to help individuals show their support.
To all Americans – show up in all the ways you can. Educate the next generation about our service members and fallen heroes, and the importance of their sacrifice, if you are able; give your time, talent, or treasure to a military cause that's meaningful to you and encourage others to do the same.
Enjoy the extra time with your family over the long holiday weekend – swim with your kids in the pool, share a laugh with friends at a backyard BBQ, and try not to roll your eyes when the youngest members of your family ask, "are we there yet?" on the long drive to your travel destination. Do these things knowing they are a tremendous privilege, and a gift given to each of us by those whose sacrifice make our way of life possible: Our fallen heroes, active service members, veterans and military families.
And when someone asks you, “What are you doing for Memorial Day?” I hope you’ll join me in sharing that - along with spending time with your own loved ones - you will be honoring the sacrifices of Troy S. Knutson-Collins, Jose Duenez Jr., Edvin F. Franco, Dante D. Taitano, Albert A. Aguilera and Marcelino M. Gamino, their families, and all the brave men and women who have died for our freedom.
This Memorial Day, and every other day, let’s not just remember their sacrifice, let’s honor it with action.
Ken Fisher is the Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation, an organization best known for a network of comfort homes where military and veterans’ families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving medical treatment. The homes are located at major military and VA medical centers, close to the medical center it serves. This year, the Foundation will reach the milestone of dedicating its 100th Fisher House.