People celebrated Memorial Day all across the country, spending the holiday with family, friends and a few were still hard at work. Many blissfully enjoyed the moments away from their boss and didn’t think twice of the reason for the long weekend; others paused and reflected upon the steep price that has been paid to secure this country’s freedom, and the price that is continuously paid by the blood of our military service members. Some held ceremonies to remember the fallen, some visited graves, and some sat back in their chair with fond memories of brothers and sisters they served with, who they will not see again in this life.
We at SOFREP hope that everyone had a fulfilling time with family and friends, had fun and relaxed — freedom is pointless if it is not enjoyed and embraced. We also hope you had a moment to think about our country’s fallen. For without them, we would live in another world entirely.
Many spent their long weekend away from home, be it in a far away country in service of the United States, or in a cemetery to visit loved ones.
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People celebrated Memorial Day all across the country, spending the holiday with family, friends and a few were still hard at work. Many blissfully enjoyed the moments away from their boss and didn’t think twice of the reason for the long weekend; others paused and reflected upon the steep price that has been paid to secure this country’s freedom, and the price that is continuously paid by the blood of our military service members. Some held ceremonies to remember the fallen, some visited graves, and some sat back in their chair with fond memories of brothers and sisters they served with, who they will not see again in this life.
We at SOFREP hope that everyone had a fulfilling time with family and friends, had fun and relaxed — freedom is pointless if it is not enjoyed and embraced. We also hope you had a moment to think about our country’s fallen. For without them, we would live in another world entirely.
Many spent their long weekend away from home, be it in a far away country in service of the United States, or in a cemetery to visit loved ones.
Patrica Kelly, from Leavenworth, Kan., pauses at her father’s grave at Levenworth National Cemetery on the eve of Memorial Day in Leavenworth, Kan. | AP Photo/Charlie RiedelMarcus Mondaine, from Kansas City, Mo., looks for a relative’s grave at Leavenworth National Cemetery on the eve of Memorial Day, Sunday in Leavenworth, Kan. | AP Photo/Charlie RiedelA U.S. Marine holds hands with a small girl as they walk among headstones of World War I dead at a Memorial Day commemoration at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, France, Sunday. The cemetery contains more that 2,000 American dead and is located in front of the battlefield of Belleau Wood. | AP Photo/Virginia MayoPresident Donald Trump lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider at Arlington National Cemetery, Monday, May 28, 2018, in Arlington, Va. | AP Photo/Evan VucciPresident Donald J. Trump recognizes gold star family members during a Memorial Day ceremony speech at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (DoD photo by Army Sgt. Amber I. Smith)Kabul, Afghanistan — Gen. John Nicholson, Resolute Support and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan commander, and Command Sergeant Major David Clark, senior enlisted leader, Resolute Support, place a wreath at a monument dedicated to those who made the ultimate sacrifice at Resolute Support headquarters, Afghanistan. (Resolute Support photo by Erickson Barnes)Members of the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing in Kabul, Afghanistan, gather to commemorate Memorial Day. The day serves to honor military members currently serving and those that have died while in military service. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials with the U.S. flag usually flying at half-staff. | U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jared J. DuhonSecond Lt. Autumn Mitchell, 1st Engineers Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, a native of Alexandria, Louisiana, walks among the headstones at the Somme American Cemetery in Somme, France, May 25, 2018. Mitchell is with a group of “Big Red One” Soldiers who traveled to France for the U.S. Army in World War I Centennial Commemoration. | U.S. Army photo by, Sgt. Michael C. Roach, 19th Public Affairs DetachmentUnited States service members comprised by representatives of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, along with participating members of the audience, unfurl a huge American flag as they attend the 2018 Memorial Day Ceremony held aboard the U.S.S Intrepid Sea, Air, Space Museum Complex on May 28, 2018 in New York City. (Photo: Mpi43 /MediaPunch /IPX)Abigail Harris kneels at the grave of her father, Korean War veteran Joseph Harris, at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, Monday, May 28, 2018, in Dixon, Calif. Californians across the state are paying their respects on Memorial Day to those who have died serving their country. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Luke Ryan is a SOFREP journalist in Tampa, FL. He is a former Team Leader from 3rd Ranger Battalion, having served four deployments to Afghanistan. He grew up overseas, the son of foreign aid workers, and lived in Pakistan for nine years and Thailand for five.
He has a degree in English Literature and loves to write on his own as well, working on several personal projects.
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