On Monday, 28 May 2012, we commemorate Memorial Day, a time to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation.
The origins of Memorial Day began with local observances following the Civil War. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress and was placed on the last Monday in May.
In 1868, the leader of a Civil War Veterans organization charged his members to decorate graves "with the choicest flowers of springtime" and urged that "we should guard their graves with sacred vigilance ... let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic."
Our organization owns a part of that charter from 1868 as we continue to maintain places like Arlington National Cemetery and work toward the completion of the National Museum of the U.S. Army. In that respect and in many other ways, we each do our part to honor and serve heroes past, present and future, daily.
Thank you for your continued service to our Nation and our Army.
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VIDEO: Old Guard Soldiers place flags at Arlington National Cemetery
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