MAY 29, 2021 – On the last Monday of May, our country observes Memorial Day to honor the lives of the men and women who died while serving our nation. We can never repay their sacrifice, but we can take time to remember them and preserve their legacy.
The Georgia Department of Defense held its annual Memorial Day observance ceremony May 27, 2021, at Clay National Guard Center in Marietta, Georgia. U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Thomas Carden, The Adjutant General of Georgia, presided over the event.
“Today we gather like so many times before to honor our fallen,” said Carden. “They are American heroes, men and women from all walks of life, that gave all of their tomorrows for our today.”
The observance ceremony took place at the memorial wall on Clay National Guard Center. The memorial wall enshrines plaques of 43 Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers who died while supporting combat operations after 9/11. All 43 names were read aloud in a roll call during the ceremony, followed by the playing of “Taps.”
“I bring people to this wall very often when they come here to visit this headquarters,” said Carden. “I remind them that there is no such thing as weekend warriors. There is not a single face on this wall that is missing from our presence only on the weekend; they’re gone from us and their families forever.”
Retired Command. Sgt. Maj. James Nelson, chairman of the Freedom Calls Memorial Foundation, began the ceremony with a reading of the history of Memorial Day.
U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Chadara Vivo, superintendent of the Georgia Air National Guard, personnel, followed Nelson with a reading of John McCrae’s poem, “In Flanders Fields.”
Carden and Command Sgt. Maj. Jeff Logan, the state command sergeant major of the Georgia Army National Guard, laid a wreath and rendered honors during the roll call in respect of the 1.3 million service members that perished in America’s wars and the 43 enshrined Georgia National Guardsmen.
Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters with the Georgia Army National Guard’s Marietta-based Aviation Troop Command flew over the ceremony in honor of the fallen after Taps.
U.S. Army Maj. John Pirtle, chaplain of the Georgia Army National Guard’s Macon-based 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, gave the opening invocation and benediction to end the event.
“We owe so much to those that paid the ultimate price for freedom,” said Carden. “More than anything, we owe it to them to make life count and to never take freedom for granted.”
Memorial Day also marks the unofficial start of summer. Children finish the school year, temperatures increase, and pools and other outdoor activities begin to open to the public. While you enjoy opportunities like these with friends and loved ones, stay vigilant and keep safety in mind at all times.
Operating any vehicle — whether private motor vehicle, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, boats or other watercraft — requires knowledge of laws, training and personal protective equipment. Know the hazards associated with the activities you are planning and apply risk management to all that you and your families plan to participate in. With any vehicle, do not drive distracted, tired, or under the influence. Drinking alcohol before or while driving any motorized vehicle is illegal, and it contributes to an estimated 30 to 40 percent of both vehicular and drowning deaths. Across the force, private motor vehicle deaths are on the rise.
The risk of heat injuries dramatically increases in the summer. Be aware of your bodies and watch for signs of heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat strokes. Staying adequately hydrated is the best way to prevent heat injures, so drink plenty of water, follow appropriate work-rest cycles, and make sure your friends, family and the people in your care do the same.
Although some restrictions have loosened recently, remember that COVID-19 is still a concern to our people and readiness. Follow all on-post and host nation guidelines as they apply. We encourage you all to get vaccinated when an opportunity presents itself to protect yourself, your teams and our missions.
We hope you are able to be with loved ones sometime over the long weekend. We also encourage you to join the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. on May 31, if possible, to reflect upon those who have given all in service. We are very proud to serve with you.