There’s a lot of memes floating around that tend to make people feel guilty on Memorial Day weekend who didn’t serve. I thought about doing that, but realized that it doesn’t do any good and that you shouldn’t feel that way in the first place. There’s not a single person I served with, or know, or who passed away in combat or from the effects of combat afterwards who would want you to feel that way. Quite the contrary as a matter of fact. I say go out and take your kids somewhere fun. Go have a good time, barbecue, go fishing, go experience a National Park, show each other your love, be a good parent, child, brother, sister. Laugh! but at some point this weekend, stop by a veterans hall, or a cemetery and show your children the sacrifices that were made so that we could live in such a wonderful country. We DO live in a place that is worth dying for. And as an American, I don’t concern myself with how we are viewed by the rest of the world and neither should you. There are too many headstones belonging to our men and women around the globe to feel otherwise. We are a nation that answers the call. We are a nation that doesn’t stand idly by when tyranny and oppression is occurring around the globe. We rise up and get the job done. Do we have problems of our own? Sure we do. But that doesn’t negate the fact that we truly are a beacon of hope for the rest of the world and I fear the day that we ever lose that status, God forbid. Someone has to do be, right? And I have no shame whatsoever in saying that I’m proud as hell to be an American and you should be too. If you’re not, you should try it sometime. It’ll look good on you. I pray for all countries in the world and you will not find a single person who desires peace more than those who have gone to war. They’re the same folks who are and will be the first to sign up to go to war should the unfortunate need arise. I’m going to post a video link in my bio just in case you aren’t able to do any of the things I mentioned before, and you should show it to your kids and family members this weekend. I’m not a great communicator, so I’ll leave it up to the old Gipper. God bless all of you. And God Bless our Troops.