Teach Someone What Memorial Day Means This Holiday Weekend

Happy Memorial Day 🇺🇸You have a day off of work, school is out, and this is the official rollout to summer. I mean it's everything you've ever wanted to phase into the hot temperatures ☀️

I hope you picked on my sarcasm and touch of truth in that. I mean yes we see the sales, flags and Summer fun starts to begin. It's too bad this day ever had to be, a day.

What exactly is Memorial Day?

a day on which those who died in active military service are remembered, traditionally observed on May 30 but now officially observed on the last Monday in May.

I served in the United States Navy and most of my family served. I was fortunate to never have lost a member to any war. I'm EXTREMELY fortunate. This is why I always walk up to someone in uniform and thank them. Did you know that Idaho has lost over 400 Idahoans killed in action? these are the people you don't hear about and unfortunately probably won't. I'd list each but won't in the case someone is left off the list. It was very powerful looking at all those names.

• Afghanistan
• Desert Storm
• Iraqi Freedom
• Korea
• Vietnam

Sports stars make millions signing autographs for hours and a kid from the Treasure Valley marching into war gets to keep their life if lucky enough. They may get a ribbon for time served in a certain war and that's about it.

There is NO welcome sign when they come home. They fly coach. These heroes serve our country in war where they defend us at all costs and come home to start over finding work. We owe them EVERYTHING and that's not the only ones. Don't forget their families who have actually made the ultimate sacrifice.

Memorial Day weekend can be a moment for you to teach your kids what this day is. I'm not on a military soapbox preaching to you. Then again, what if I was? We suck. We're human. We forget. I'm just reminding you.

As we all head out on this weekend take a quick moment and look above to those A10 Thunderbolts heading out. Every time I see one I think where they might be going. Last night I looked up around 9:00 p.m. and saw them heading into the direction of the storm thinking, "that's not routine. I hope they come back safe."

My love will forever be with them and the families that sacrifice birthdays, holidays and just holding it together. You don't get an award but we see you and appreciate you.

Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend. #neverforget

Here are some photos I took in the Navy of an amazing Captain who leads by example. You'll see the cooks who provided for us out to see during Christmas. Take notice of the members teaching kids and entertaining. Those lines you see them holding could snap at any moment and kill every last person in its path. The only photos I never got because it was too hard at night were the F18's landing in the blackness of the night. Those fighter jets were less than 50 yards from us. I have quite a few stories but that's for another time. These were my friends below.