By U.S. Senator Deb Fischer

**Click here to download the audio recording of this week’s column**

This Memorial Day, citizens across Nebraska will gather to pay tribute to the brave men and women who died fighting for our country. Solemn ceremonies and prayer services, parades down Main Streets, and backyard barbecues are a few of the many ways Nebraskans mark this special occasion. No matter where you spend Memorial Day this year, it is important to pause and reflect on the courage and valor of our fallen service members.

Memorial Day has a unique history. It began in 1868, when Major General John A. Logan designated a day to honor the men who died in the Civil War by placing flowers at their graves. Originally known as “Decoration Day,” Congress officially declared Memorial Day a national holiday in 1971. Every year, we celebrate the unofficial start of the summer season by recalling the names of the fallen, honoring their memory, and recommitting ourselves to the principles for which they fought and died.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, “In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.” The original American patriots fought to establish our republic in the Revolutionary War. Less than a century later, citizens took up arms to preserve our union. The Doughboys faced peril in the trenches of Europe throughout the Great War. Members of the Greatest Generation stormed the beaches of Normandy to liberate a continent and fought to victory in the Pacific. Others traveled to far-flung regions of the world, fighting valiantly in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

For nearly 150 years, the people of Nebraska have answered the call to serve. Over the past decade, Nebraska sons and daughters have risen to defend our nation against radical Islamic terrorism that threatens our way of life. It began on September 11, 2001, and each day since, Nebraskans have stepped up, ready to fight. 

According to the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs, 77 Nebraskans have lost their lives through combat-related incidents in Iraq and Afghanistan. To honor their memory, I launched a new initiative this year to tell their stories on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Each month, I devote time to bring their legacy to life with a tribute on the Senate floor. It is my honor to honor them.

This Memorial Day, I will have the opportunity to participate in a ceremony at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Omaha. I look forward to joining with veterans and members of the Omaha community to pay tribute to Nebraska service members who made the ultimate sacrifice.

As we honor the fallen, we must also thank the members of our Armed Forces currently serving our nation. They face grave danger around the globe while carrying out the missions we give them. Our hearts are with their family and friends who are counting the days until their loved ones return home.

Whether you place flowers at a grave, participate in a parade, or spend time with a loved one that has served this Memorial Day, I hope you will take a moment to think about the bravery and patriotism of those who gave everything for you and for me.

To all the fallen, and to all those who serve and have served: thank you for your selfless sacrifice.

Thank you for taking part in our democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.