Tribute to the men and women in uniform

 "Paying tribute to the men and women in uniform 

who have given their lives in service to our country."

What an honor and privilege to be in Hanoi Vietnam May 15, 1995 and to visit the newly formed consulate and by consequence sign my name to the guest log only to realize that George W. H. Bush Sr. had just signed the consulate guest log five lines up from my own.

Sadly, the most sacred piece of memorabilia I have of my visit is the memory of a metal American ammunition box full of Zippo cigarette lighters from dead or missing American Soldiers.  

Many of the lighters had names of the owners or their love ones engraved on the sides and some had written quotes or poetic verse, the lighter that touched me most had these words engraved on the stainless steel side that read:

 "YOU CAN NOT ENSLAVE A MAN WHO IS 

WILLING TO GIVE UP HIS LIFE FOR HIS FREEDOM."

Yesterday, Barack Obama reiterated these fallen Vietnam American solider resolve:

 “That refutation of fear -- that is both 

our sword and our shield”

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Weekly Address: Giving Thanks to Our Fallen Heroes this Memorial Day

In this week’s address, President Obama commemorates Memorial Day by paying tribute to the men and women in uniform who have given their lives in service to our country.

Watch this week's Weekly Address. 
National Defense University: Thursday, President Obama laid out a framework for U.S. counterterrorism strategy as we wind down the war in Afghanistan. President Obama discussed how the threat of terrorism has changed substantially since September 11, 2011 -- and explained his comprehensive strategy to meet these threats.

“The quiet determination; that strength of character and bond of fellowship; that refutation of fear -- that is both our sword and our shield. And long after the current messengers of hate have faded from the world’s memory, alongside the brutal despots, and deranged madmen, and ruthless demagogues who litter history -- the flag of the United States will still wave from small-town cemeteries to national monuments, to distant outposts abroad. And that flag will still stand for freedom.”

 ______________________

I wonder how many congressional members on both sides of the house that stand by proxy for those that have given their lives for their county and those that are now suffering at no fault of their own by those that represent "We The People" are willing to give up just their livelihood, their own political careers and come together and put Americans on the right track into the future?              

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