Happy Memorial Day!

Memorial Day is dedicated to service men and women who gave their lives for our country. It was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868, by Gen. John Logan, and it was first officially observed on May 30, 1868. Flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers buried in Arlington National Cemetery. It's now celebrated on the last Monday of May to ensure 3-day weekends for Federal holidays (National Holiday Act of 1971).

Many cities and towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. Pres. Lyndon Johnson proclaimed Waterloo, N.Y., as the official birthplace, but it's hard to prove that it is. Memorial Day was most likely born out of the many efforts of people from all over the country setting aside a day to remember those who died in war.

In one of our college classes, a discussion broke out with a lot of the students criticizing the government for sending so many of our troops overseas. But the professor was in the service. She halted the discussion and said, "They didn't send us. We volunteered to go. We signed up. We said yes."

We'd like to take this time to remember the fallen service men and women for their dedication, commitment, and sacrifice. Thank you for saying yes.

Read more about Memorial Day.