Remembering our Troops this Memorial Day

Star Notes

“Remembering our Troops this Memorial Day”

By Richard K. Sele

SHS Class of 1979.

Brigadier General (Retired), US Army

Remembering our Troops this Memorial Day

For millions of Americans, Memorial Day signifies the unofficial start of the summer season. I believe by now though, that Americans also recognize the true meaning of the holiday. It’s a time for us to mourn American service members that died while serving the nation.

Having been around soldiers for 35 years, I have a feeling every one of those that we mourn are looking down on us with a smile as they watch us enjoy backyard grilling, baseball games, car racing, and soaking up the sun on the beach. No doubt that there are battle buddies sitting at the headstones of their fallen friends and sharing a shot of whiskey or a cold beer. Many will leave a memento such as a unit coin, flowers, or a small flag. Some might leave a quarter at the grave signifying that they were with the service member when he or she was killed in action.

I ask that you also keep in your mind and prayers that we are still a country at war. We continue to have service members on the ground in Iraq and Syria. Our forces are still involved to some extent in the ongoing war in Yemen. Special Operations Forces (SOF) are scattered around the African continent in harm’s way. There are dozens of other countries where SOF are operating either in training foreign security forces, building indigenous networks, or hunting down and killing terrorists.

Al Qaeda is still a functioning organization that threatens the US. Its affiliates such as al-Shabaab are focused on striking US interests. Al Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula is preparing to conduct operations against the West. ISIS continues to be a threat against our interests. SOF is forward deployed around the globe to preempt and counter these threats.

At the risk of being misinterpreted or misquoted, I won’t get into the units that have recently deployed to Europe as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues. However, I believe we all recognize the possibility of these troops finding themselves in harm’s way at some point.

So, keep all of these brave service members still living and the fallen in your thoughts as you enjoy Memorial Day and the freedoms for which they have sacrificed their lives.

God bless America.

Photo above;   Brigadier General Sele meets with his key personnel serving with the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. CJTC HOA is a critical component of US strategy to counter violent extremists and terrorist groups such as al-Shabbab and promote regional security on the African continent. 

Photo above;  Then Major Sele meets with the local commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and a government official in the southern Philippines. Sele was assigned to Special Operations Command-Pacific, which was working closely with the Government of the Philippines to counter threats by the terrorist organization Abu Sayyaf Group. The ASG is also known as the Islamic State-East Asia Province.