Memorial Day column from Sec. Scocos

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For Immediate Release 

May 19, 2015

John A. Scocos Column: Memorial Day 2015

 As many of us do each year, we gather this Memorial Day to recognize and honor those brave men and women who gave their lives in service to their nation. Nearly every generation of our nation has sacrificed many of its best and brightest – Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsman – in answering our nation’s call to arms since our beginning.

Those who serve and have served in our Armed Forces have answered a noble call, sworn an oath, and defended this great nation. Many of those brave warriors gave their lives in that service, which is what sets this day apart from all other special days of recognition who observe for our military veterans.

No matter when they served, or where, our veterans were compelled or volunteered to serve something greater than themselves at great personal risk.

Those who have served our nation in uniform have made us free and kept us free for more than two centuries. They’ve done the same for countless other peoples throughout the world. They’ve delivered the United States’ foreign policy without regard for their self or personal belief – a true definition of selfless service – and they’ve done it better than anyone.

There is cost to this freedom. Ultimately, the most precious resource is human life and the largest cost to any military action is the human cost. That is exactly what Memorial Day is about, remembering the human cost of our conflicts. The number of war dead is staggering.

That number exceeds more than one million from 1775 to the present day. The Civil War claimed more than 600,000 from both sides – nearly 2 percent of our population at the time. The First World War: more than 100,000. The Second World War: more than 400,000. Korea and Vietnam: each more than 50,000. Our continuing War on Terror stands at more than 6,000. Those are just our largest numbers - there are many thousands more from other our other conflicts.

This Memorial Day we remember each one of those men and women. Some we remember personally. Some we remember through family histories. Every servicemember who gave their life in defense of this country is remembered on this day, whether they are known to many or only a few.

We should do our best to know those who fought so hard for the world we inherited from them and never forget their accomplishments, sacrifices, courage and commitment.

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(John A. Scocos is the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. He is an Iraq War veteran.)