Memorial Day

On this Memorial Day, I extend a sincere thank you to all the U.S. military personnel who served their country and those currently serving in the armed forces. A special thanks to Chuck in Ft. Myers who served in Europe during World War II as a photographer, taking still photos and motion pictures. Unfortunately, we're losing more and more of the 'Greatest Generation'. One estimate from several years ago, indicated that 1,000 American veterans are dying every day, most of them WW II vets.

I took this photo when I first visited the new Sarasota National Cemetery a couple of months ago, well before all the American flags were in place for the holiday. The cemetery has been open for two years, and is located on 295 acres in rural Sarasota County. With so much land, it's expected to meet the needs of military veterans for the next 50 years. And, that, perhaps is what makes this cemetery so much different than the other national cemeteries I've visited. It's quite empty...now. I can't help but wonder what it will look like 5, 10, 20 years down the road. Take a moment and thank a veteran for their service.