The Best of America

The month of May is dedicated to those who have served and continue to serve our country at home and around the world. Military Spouse Day, Armed Forces Day, and Memorial Day, when we remember all those who have laid down their lives in service to our country, all fall during this month, and we celebrate Military Appreciation Month all May long. It’s an extraordinary thing to choose to serve in the military. It’s not simply choosing to serve but choosing a type of service that may require you to sacrifice everything. That so many Americans do it willingly and with pride and love for their country, their fellow servicemembers, and love of their fellow man is a testament to the values for which America stands. The blessings we enjoy as Americans can easily be taken for granted, but they would not last long in the absence of the men and women who commit their lives to defending them. Our prosperity, our freedom, our peace, and our security have been won and are safeguarded by each successive generation of men and women serving in the armed forces. And I’m profoundly grateful for those who protect the things we hold most dear. My job offers me the privilege to meet a lot of these patriotic Americans. Just recently, I had the opportunity to welcome home members of the 114th Fighter Wing at Joe Foss Field in Sioux Falls and to meet Vietnam veterans from South Dakota at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. It’s always humbling to talk with these South Dakotans and with the families and friends of those who have sacrificed for our country. Members of the armed forces put it all on the line when they put on their uniform, and we should not forget those who died wearing it and fighting under our nation’s flag. Driving up I-90 near Sturgis, you see row upon row of white markers at the Black Hills National Cemetery that bear witness to men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice serving our country. This is just one of the veterans cemeteries in our state where one can appreciate the widespread contributions of South Dakota patriots. And to mark Memorial Day, volunteers place American flags at veterans’ graves as a sign that their sacrifice is not forgotten and a reminder that our freedom has been secured for us at a great cost. This Memorial Day, there are South Dakotans serving our country around the world, and there will be empty chairs at dinner tables across our state until they come home. The families of servicemembers also embrace the cause of freedom, and they serve so often silently and without recognition. So as we remember America’s soldiers, we remember their families too and strive to live in a way that honors the sacrifices that so many make on our behalf.