The cost of freedom

  • Published
  • By Brig. Gen. Ken Wilsbach
  • 18th Wing Commander
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  (18th Wing commander, Brig. Gen. Ken Wilsbach, delivered the following remarks at the 18th Wing Memorial Day ceremony held May 31.)

In ordering the first Memorial Day in 1868, Army General John Logan issued the following charge: "Let no ravages of time testify to the present or the coming generations that we, as a people, have forgotten the cost of a free and undivided republic."

Thank you for being here today as proof that our nation understands and is willing to uphold this sacred mandate. 142 years since that first Memorial Day, the cost of freedom remains equally high. Those who have raised their right hands and sworn to defend our great nation with their lives know this very well.

From the brutal winter at Valley Forge to the killing fields of Gettysburg. From the blood-stained beaches of Normandy to the jungles of Vietnam. From the mean streets of Fallujah to the rugged hills of Tora Bora. On the ground, navigating the oceans, traversing the skies -- our nation has been blessed with extraordinary men and women who understand the meaning of sacrifice in the defense of liberty.

I am humbled and honored to see so many of these men and women before me this morning. Each day, we are reminded that liberty and security come with a great price. Since 2001, nearly 5,500 of America's sons and daughters have given their lives in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom to keep America secure. Their legacy of service, devotion and extraordinary courage in the face of danger is a testament to all that is good and noble in our nation.

Even as we honor our fallen comrades, we know that they are not alone in their sacrifice. The fallen leave behind husbands and wives; sons and daughters; brothers and sisters; mothers and fathers. We have grieved with them. We have wept with them. We have consoled them, even as we steeled our resolve to ensure the sacrifices of their loved ones were not made in vain.

As we honor our fallen warriors, remember these families for whom the grieving never ends. Remember all military families who are the source of our strength and who endure sacrifices that the rest of our nation cannot fathom.

The Irish political philosopher Edmund Burke once said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." I know in my heart that America will never have a shortage of good men and women, willing to commit themselves to a greater cause and to lay down their lives if necessary to prevent the triumph of evil.

I am honored to be here today with you as we share in renewing our commitment to our country. I am humbled to join you in giving thanks for all those who have given the last full measure of devotion for their nation over the last 234 years. I ask you to remember them and to honor them -- in your hearts and through your service to your country.

May God comfort those who mourn the fallen, may He use their memory to strengthen those who remain for the service which lies ahead, and may He always bless our great nation.