May 27, 2017
Memorial Day: It’s not just another long weekend
Extending Gratitude to Our Service Men and Women
By Mario A. Guerra
Mario A. Guerra with Major General Frost, Chief of Public Affairs U.S. Army
Memorial Day is special because heroes have given of themselves for our country. Thank you. Let’s remember to reflect and honor those who have sacrificed for us.
Our nation’s history has been one of evolution and revolution in term of the pursuit of freedom and self-government and many of our citizens have fought to preserve and extend those freedoms, some at the ultimate cost.
And that’s why this day is so important to all of us, to pay a well-deserved tribute to those brave Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation, who ensured for us the freedoms that we now enjoy.
As Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, I have seen firsthand the sacrifice our military men and women, and their families, make to protect our freedom and our nation. There is no one more deserving of our respect and recognition.
To our Gold Star families – we are humbled by your sacrifice, inspired by your resilience and grateful for your continued service to our communities.
We must, as Americans, remind ourselves that the patriotic acts of these individuals continually provides us with the ability to carry on our nation’s traditions and values, bringing hope to the rest of the world that Democracy will endure.
You can read my Memorial Day OP ED commentary in The Downey Patriot this week by clicking below.
Mario A. Guerra is the former Mayor of Downey and current Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army. He can be reached at Mario@GuerraIns.com