As your lieutenant governor, I am asking you to pause this Monday and reflect about the meaning of Memorial Day.
In memory and honor of our heroes who fought and died for our nation and our freedoms, I am asking all Floridians to take a moment to appreciate the sacrifices of our military men and women and their families and to thank them. Devote a portion of your day to honor and remember our distinguished men and women of valor, heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our way of life.
This Memorial Day show our children that America is a great nation today because so many sacrificed so much yesterday. That our freedoms were forged from the blood, sweat, tears and passion of our military personnel. We must always remember that freedom comes at a cost, and for many that cost was their life. We must make sure that our nation never forgets the magnitude of the deeds and sacrifices of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marine, Coast Guardsman, merchant marine, national guardsman who have, as Abraham Lincoln said so well, "given the last full measure of devotion."
Part of memorializing and honoring our fallen heroes is to ensure that our current heroes, todays armed service members, have the best facilities, best equipment, best training, best educational opportunities and the best quality of life for themselves and their families. Gov. Scott and I are entirely dedicated to ensuring that Florida is the most welcoming state for our veterans, military members and their families.
But the real meaning of Memorial Day lies in reflecting on the sacrifices made by generations of Americans, from Antietam to Afghanistan. Remembering all those laid to rest in Arlington and in thousands of cemeteries across America, and to those still missing in action and unaccounted for around the world.
Will Rogers, the great American wordsmith wrote, We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by. This Memorial day please join Gov. Rick Scott and me as we memorialize our heroes.
Guest columnist Jennifer Carroll is the lieutenant governor of Florida.
