It is important to remember the sacrifice of so many Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for us. We at the Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth are fortunate to call Kansas home and therefore, we would like to highlight the service and sacrifice of one native Kansan in order to share the incredible commitment and sacrifice of all our troops and their Families.
First Sergeant Timothy Millsap of Wichita, Kansas epitomized the word duty. He was in his twentieth year of service when he was alerted to deploy to Iraq for the second time. He could have hung it up at twenty and retired to a life of rest and relaxation, but that wasn’t Tim’s way. It simply wasn’t his nature. He was a born leader and leading Soldiers is where he always wanted to be. On April 25, 2005 he was killed by an IED near Baghdad. Tim gave his life for his Soldiers and his country. He is one of the many thousands of reasons we observe Memorial Day.
However, Memorial Day isn’t just about the Soldiers who have sacrificed. It is also about the ones who are currently serving and sacrificing. This Memorial Day while you are spending time with family and enjoying a great barbeque outing, remember that we have Soldiers in harms way protecting your way of life and other people’s freedom.
Finally, this Memorial Day should also be about our “Gold Star” Families who have sacrificed too. You see, Tim had a Mom, Rosie, and a Dad, Kenny, who fell to the floor in sorrow when three uniformed service members came to their door one day. Tim had a wife of 20 years, Alyne, and a fifteen year old daughter, Deanna. There is a Daughter today who doesn’t have her father to take her hunting, to see her off to her prom or snap a million pictures at her graduation. When a woman named Lydia Bixby lost five sons in the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln eloquently wrote that she had “laid so costly a sacrifice at the altar of freedom.” This Memorial Day, let’s remember our fallen heroes, those currently serving and let’s not forget to thank the Rosie’s, the Kenny’s, the Alyne’s, the Deanna’s and the countless other Families who have laid their sacrifice at the altar of freedom…. Our freedom!
First Sergeant Timothy Millsap of Wichita, Kansas epitomized the word duty. He was in his twentieth year of service when he was alerted to deploy to Iraq for the second time. He could have hung it up at twenty and retired to a life of rest and relaxation, but that wasn’t Tim’s way. It simply wasn’t his nature. He was a born leader and leading Soldiers is where he always wanted to be. On April 25, 2005 he was killed by an IED near Baghdad. Tim gave his life for his Soldiers and his country. He is one of the many thousands of reasons we observe Memorial Day.
However, Memorial Day isn’t just about the Soldiers who have sacrificed. It is also about the ones who are currently serving and sacrificing. This Memorial Day while you are spending time with family and enjoying a great barbeque outing, remember that we have Soldiers in harms way protecting your way of life and other people’s freedom.
Finally, this Memorial Day should also be about our “Gold Star” Families who have sacrificed too. You see, Tim had a Mom, Rosie, and a Dad, Kenny, who fell to the floor in sorrow when three uniformed service members came to their door one day. Tim had a wife of 20 years, Alyne, and a fifteen year old daughter, Deanna. There is a Daughter today who doesn’t have her father to take her hunting, to see her off to her prom or snap a million pictures at her graduation. When a woman named Lydia Bixby lost five sons in the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln eloquently wrote that she had “laid so costly a sacrifice at the altar of freedom.” This Memorial Day, let’s remember our fallen heroes, those currently serving and let’s not forget to thank the Rosie’s, the Kenny’s, the Alyne’s, the Deanna’s and the countless other Families who have laid their sacrifice at the altar of freedom…. Our freedom!
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