Happy Memorial Day Weekend
This weekend we take a moment to pay our deepest respect to our sons, daughters, moms and dads stationed around the world fighting for liberty and freedom, and to mourn those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in reminding us that freedom is not free.
On Thursday I stood on the steps of the South Portico of the State Capitol at the Virginia Wall of Honor ceremony where we paid solemn tribute to the 233 Virginians who have been lost in the global War on Terror since the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000. Those include the following 27 who were just recognized:
From The United States Army, Private First Class Alvaro R. Regalado Sessarego – Virginia Beach, VA; Specialist Brian M. Anderson – Harrisonburg, VA; Captain Michael P. Cassidy – Arlington, VA; Private First Class Benjamin J. Park – Fairfax Station, VA; Private First Class David Taylor Miller – Amherst, VA; Specialist Morganne M. McBeth – Fredericksburg, VA; Staff Sergeant Christopher F. Cabacoy – Virginia Beach, VA; Specialist Matthew E. George – Virginia Beach, VA; Staff Sergeant Jaime C. Newman - Richmond, VA; First Lieutenant Todd W. Weaver – Hampton, VA; Private First Class Tramaine J. Billingsley – Portsmouth, VA; Corporal William Kyle Middleton – Norfolk, VA; Specialist Sean R. Cutsforth – Radford, VA. From The United States Marines, Sergeant Donald J. Lamar, II – Fredericksburg, VA; Corporal Nicholas D. Parada Rodriguez – Stafford, VA; Lance Corporal Cody S. Childers – Chesapeake, VA; Sergeant Ronald A. Rodriguez – Falls Church, VA, Sergeant Sean T. Callahan – Warrenton, VA; From The United States Air Force, Airman First Class Zachary R. Cuddeback – Stanardsville, VA; Major Charles A. Ransom – Midlothian, VA. From The United States Navy, Signalman Seaman Cherone Gunn-Newport News, VA. From the Central Intelligence Agency Elizabeth Hanson, Scott Roberson, Darren LaBonte, Dane Paresi, Jeremy Wise, Jennifer Matthews –Langley – McLean, VA.
The ceremony is an annual reminder that we are a nation at war; that our shared values of liberty and freedom are under constant attack by those who seek power through mass murder and ruthless oppression. Our brave servicemen and servicewomen understand the gravity of the threat and what’s at stake, and this weekend we salute their devotion to our safety and protection of our way of life.
Furthermore, at a separate ceremony in Richmond we recognized those Virginians in local and state law enforcement who gave their lives here at home to protect those freedoms won by our armed forces abroad. The dedicated men and women of our public safety community risk their lives daily to ensure our safety and security. Please join me during this time of reflection and appreciation in honoring the following seven officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice since January of last year: Tazewell County Deputy Sheriff Thomas A. Reid, Richmond City Deputy Sheriff Caroline Green, Spotsylvania County Deputy Sheriff Dean Ridings, Tazewell County Deputy Sheriff Shawnell Hess, and Virginia State Trooper Mark D. Barrett, and Buchanan County Deputy Sheriffs Cameron Neil Justus and William “Billy” Ezra Stiltner.
This Memorial Day weekend, local Richmond station WRVA and Jimmy Barrett are undertaking an effort to raise money for The Fisher House, a charity that serves military families by building and maintaining “comfort homes” on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers so that family members can stay free of charge near sick or injured soldiers during hospitalization. Started in 1990 and working in close conjunction with the Army, Navy and Air Force, The Fisher House is a unique program that serves more than 11,000 military families annually during some of their most stressful periods.
If you are able, I ask you to honor our military families this weekend by making a contribution to The Fisher House by clicking this link or by visiting http://www.active.com/donate/VirginiaFisherHouses/2011WRVA. Your support will have an immediate, direct and positive impact on some of our most deserving citizens.
When remembering the sacrifice of those who serve I often think of a quote by George Washington. Washington said, “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation.” This Memorial Day weekend, please thank a veteran. If you know of a military family who could use some help, please stop by and offer some of your time. If you know an aging member of the Greatest Generation, please check in and see how they are doing. The United States of America has been, is, and always will be the greatest nation on earth because of the devotion and sacrifice of so many heroes who believed in, fought for and paid the ultimate price in defense of liberty and freedom. This weekend, let’s show our appreciation.
Sincerely,
Bob McDonnell