[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8212]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING OUR SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN THIS MEMORIAL DAY

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the sacrifice of 
those to whom we are forever indebted: the brave men and women of our 
Armed Forces, both past and present, who died in defense of freedom. It 
has been and continues to be their duty, honor, and privilege to serve. 
With Memorial Day 2011 approaching, it is our duty to pause and honor 
those who have sacrificed.
  Memorial Day has become the unofficial beginning of summer. Schools 
are beginning to break for summer vacation, community pools are opening 
for the season, and friends and family are gathering this weekend for 
barbecues. It is important that we not lose sight of the true nature of 
this holiday and I encourage all of us to take time to pause and 
remember the meaning of Memorial Day.
  Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of 
remembrance for those who have died in our Nation's service. Since 
1868, this time of year has been designated as a time to pause and 
honor our war dead. It was officially designated a Federal holiday in 
1971. An often overlooked tradition is to have a moment of remembrance 
specifically at 3 p.m. local time.
  Throughout the Nation over this holiday weekend we will see many 
American flags and flowers adorning the graves of those who have made 
the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation. I will remember in particular 
the 104 Marylanders who have been killed in our most recent conflicts, 
and I will remind myself that our freedom isn't free. I will remind 
myself of their ultimate sacrifice and I will remind myself of the 
ongoing sacrifices their families continue to make each and every day.
  I am immensely proud of the men and women--fewer than 1 percent of 
our population--who serve in our All-Volunteer Force. But there is a 
drawback, of sorts, to having an All-Volunteer Force: the sacrifices of 
the few are not felt by the many; therefore, they can be overlooked. We 
mustn't allow this to happen. This environment is much different than 
the conflicts of the past where nearly everyone had a friend, neighbor, 
or loved one who wore the cloth of our Nation.
  I call on my colleagues and all Americans to remember the true 
meaning of Memorial Day and take the time to pause and remember those 
who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedom and for 
the continued success of this great Nation.

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