Weekly Column:   –  “We should remember the many great sacrifices of American men and women in uniform this Memorial Day.  From the Greatest Generation to this one, our servicemembers and veterans can relate firsthand accounts of the brave Americans who fought by their sides only to lose their lives in battle.

On the 65th anniversary of the Normandy Landings, which took place on June 6th, 1944, we can salute the bravery of all the American soldiers who turned the tide of World War II in Europe.  That generation set a precedent for selfless duty and service that has affected every generation of soldiers who followed them. 

Which brings us to the sad events of last week, when a troubled soldier allegedly shot and killed five of his fellow servicemen at Camp Liberty in Baghdad, Iraq.  One of those young men, Specialist Jacob D. Barton, hailed from Lenox, Missouri.  He graduated from Rolla High School, and his ties to our communities in Southern Missouri is very strong.

Spc. Barton served in the 277th Engineer Company of the 420th Engineer Brigade out of Waco, Texas.  He was 20 years of age.  He was loved by his family and friends, and his loss is going to leave a lasting void in the life of our community, our state and our nation.

The tragic circumstances of Jacob’s murder ought to instruct us to remember just how dangerous war is.  It ought to remind us just how difficult it is for any mother or father, sibling or spouse to send a loved one to a theater of war.  And it ought to inspire us that some of our fellow Americans are prepared to give all for their country, and – when they are called upon – they do.

In short, this story should sober us all on Memorial Day, as we think about the millions of Americans who have lost their lives in the service of our nation, protecting our freedoms, sacrificing for our way of life.
Our nation’s military is large and strong.  In total, 2.3 million Americans serve in the five major branches of the military, Army National Guard and in Reserves.  But for each of those men and women, there is a network of family members, friends and loved ones at home praying for them, worrying about them, and proud of them.  I know this reality, because my own family is one of those with uniformed soldiers who have served in Iraq.

The loss of just one of those servicemembers is a devastation for an entire community, just like it has been this week for ours in Missouri.  My heart goes out to Jacob’s family, and to every family in our congressional district which is remembering the loss of a loved one this Memorial Day. 

But this is not just a day to mourn the losses, as deep and painful as they are.  Memorial Day is also a day to marvel at the greatness of our nation, that some would give all, and to honor their sacred names.”