May 28, 2014
This Memorial Day on Foreign Soil

My husband is my hero in combat boots who comes home to lots of affection by his kids and me - his at-home wife. As a military family, we teach our children about respect, honor, sacrifice, dedication, follow-through and the difference between wrong and right along with its consequences.
 
This past Memorial Day was a regular two-day weekend here in the Netherlands, where we are currently stationed.  On Sunday, my husband put on his dress blues and volunteered his time as an escort for wreath layers at the cemetery in Margraten, the only American military cemetery in the Netherlands. Our entire family as well as thousands others attended a solemn and very impressive ceremony to pay tribute to the American service members who fought for freedom and are now buried there. This is the only U.S. cemetery where all graves are adopted by the local Dutch citizens. These adopters are "stand-ins" for the families of these U.S. soldiers for visiting and bringing flowers on special occasions just like Memorial Day and Christmas. We were honored to be able to attend this ceremony and were only one of many active-duty families present. The attendance and teaching our children before/during/after these events are paramount to ensure we never forget those who sacrificed their lives for peace. Everyone's presence ensured that future generations will remember. This is what Memorial Day is about. It's about remembering and honoring our veterans - not a three-day weekend used to catch as many sales as possible, eat hot dogs and going camping.
 
Attached, you will find a picture of my amazing husband, the escort, posing with the ladies from the nurses' corp. Such a charmer!
 
Katrin





Posted by Staff at 10:59 AM