05/25/2026
On this Memorial Day, I am sitting here alone and in silence thinking about the last day of so many. These were ordinary people expected to do extraordinary things, and many did that and more. These people had goals, dreams, and aspirations. Some were in far away lands, away from their family and friends and their “regular” life.
They woke up, and for the last time, laced up their boots. They ate their last meal. They spoke to their family or friends for the last time. They looked at a picture of their family, friend, or significant other for the last time. They told their last joke and had their last laugh. They may have walked to the PX to make that last purchase. They put on their gear and boarded that helo, Stryker, Humvee, or other vehicle for the last time. They may have “left the wire” on foot for the last time. And, finally, they took their last breath.
I remember leaving active service in 2002 and then seeing Iraq kick off. I was glued to the news, keeping up with my Brothers and Sisters as they carried on with the fight. I vividly remember being at a family gathering during a holiday, and a small TV was on in the kitchen. A Marine helicopter had been shot down in Iraq, killing all on board. My reaction made no sense. It was such a deep and personal reaction, like I had lost family. And I had. They were my family, and I felt I should have been there with them. I remember a more recent tragedy when an AAV sank off the coast of California, killing all the Marines on board. Same reaction, but I looked at it a bit differently, which makes sense as I was much older. I thought about each of those lives and how each of those Marines started their day like any other. However, everything they did was their last.
Death is final, but the lives these people lived remain alive as long as we remember. On this day, I will remember those that spent their final hours doing everything for the last time. I am thankful there are such people in the world, and I will do my best to honor them by not taking for granted not only the freedoms we enjoy, but the very act of breathing.
If you know of a family who lost someone, reach out to them. Keep that person’s memory alive in the hearts of those they left behind. That’s the best gift you could give to that person and their family. Just remember them.
Joel Cheney