It’s something that has long bothered many in the military community:the lack of understanding and respect for Memorial Day. To many Americans, it’s simply a day off of work to have fun, barbecue, go shopping, or hang out at the beach. While some may remember that Memorial Day is a military holiday, a good number of them still get Memorial Day confused with Veterans Day.
Memorial Day is a holiday meant to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country and those who are currently serving, or have ever served.
And this group of vets is planning on taking back Memorial Day.
DoDLive is spotlighting a group of vets who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Josh Jespersen, Margaux Mange, Nick Colgin, and Brian McPherson are launching Mission Memorial Day, in an effort to remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day. The four of them will fly to Denali National Park in Alaska, where they will attempt to scale Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America. And they’ll be carrying with them the names of fallen service members, written on two flags, one of which will include every Navy SEAL killed since 9/11.
And they’re asking for more names. Americans are being asked to visit MissionMemorialDay.com and submit names of their loved ones who have fallen in service to their country. Their goal is to reach the summit on May 25. You can follow the conversation and their progress on Twitter at #HonorThem.
Jespersen, the expedition leader and a former Navy SEAL, explained their motivation. “We want Memorial Day to be Memorial Day again instead of mattress sales and spring fashion sales. We want people who were lost to actually be remembered on Memorial Day. We feel like the meaning has gotten lost, and we’d like to get it back.”