MEC Officer Letter - Memorial Day

May 31 - Memorial Day is that day each year that we set aside time to remember the brave men and women who sacrificed everything for the love of their country.  It is because of these selfless sacrifices that we enjoy the freedoms and independence of these United States.

May 31, 2021

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Memorial Day is that day each year that we set aside time to remember the brave men and women who sacrificed everything for the love of their country.  It is because of these selfless sacrifices that we enjoy the freedoms and independence of these United States.

While Memorial Day was designated as an official federal holiday in 1971, its roots trace back to May 5, 1868, just three years after the Civil War when a group of Union veterans (known as the Grand Army of the Republic) declared May 30th to be Decoration Day. On a national level, Decoration Day was expanded to honor all fallen U.S. service members after the end of WWI and, in 1971, it became a federal holiday with an official National Moment of Remembrance. At 3 p.m. local time, every American is encouraged to pause in silence for a minute to reflect on the sacrifice of the service members who gave their lives for this country.

This year given the adversity of the past fifteen months brought about by the pandemic, Memorial Day has a renewed meaning for so many of us as we remember all those we have lost, around the world, in our nation, as well as health care workers and others who dedicated their lives to those in need including many in our chosen profession.  To say this past year has been difficult is nothing less than an understatement. 

That holiday travel for this busy start to summer has increased as the travel industry rebounds is a welcome, yet bittersweet, relief and a reminder of those who are no longer here to celebrate this holiday and our recovery with us.  Each of the individuals we have lost to the pandemic played an important role in the journey we’ve taken to arrive at this holiday weekend.  May all those we remember this Memorial Day weekend, rest in peace.

Memorial Day typically signals the impending start of the summer season and is celebrated by family reunions, barbeques, parades and memorial celebrations.

In our roles, we come together to make it possible for others to come together & to share in these holiday celebrations.  Ours is a vital role in connecting loved ones & families and now, more than ever, given the absence of opportunities to meet and be with our families over the course of the past year, it is essential in joining others together and revitalizing our connection to each other.  Whether we participate in events in our local communities or take to the skies to make it possible for others to reach their intended destinations, we are part of the very fabric that makes this holiday memorable.

On behalf of the United Master Executive Council, we salute the brave men and women who paved the way to the many freedoms we enjoy today while remembering those we have lost most recently in the worldwide pandemic.  We encourage you to participate in the Memorial events that will take place this holiday weekend in our communities as we remember those we have lost and live the gratitude we express in their memory. 

We wish you and your family a happy, safe and enjoyable holiday weekend where you have the opportunity to connect with loved ones or make it possible for others to rejuvenate their ties to family and friends. Happy Memorial Day!

In Solidarity,

Ken Diaz	Adam Novish	Jeffrey Heisey
President	Vice President	Secretary Treasurer