Enjoy it in all the free ways possible, someone else earned it for us.

Donnie, I miss you brother.

Rick, I miss you!

MA2 Mark Mayo, unfortunately you and I never met; but that didn't cross your mind March 24, 2014. You laid down your life for me and my Shipmates that night. That night plays over and over in my head; from the failures of base security to the failures of the watchstanders on my beloved USS Mahan. But that didn't matter, you showed up anyway and I will never forget you. That was one of the toughest nights of my life, but it put a lot into perspective for me.

Our hats are off to you NavyApp and all others on here who have served - thank you

According to DOD, north of 1 million Americans have died in uniform while protecting our homeland and our freedom...plus...somewhere north of 80,000 more are still classified as missing in action, lost at sea, POW or other high-risk categories. That's 1.1 mil dear and precious lives given (WWII to the present) for ALL OF US to move on with our lives.

May WE the people never, ever forget the high cost of AMERICAN FREEDOM or how easily and quickly we could lose it.

He never mentioned their names. He never forgot them but when he went to that far away place,in that not so distant past,names where never given. He spent his life trying to move on but their faces followed him wherever he went. They died in a place called Luzon ,or Maffin Bay .Sharing a smoke , or a letter from home,sleeping in a hole half filled with water one night....then gone the next. Forever young.

“Find the cost of freedom...
buried in the ground.”

CSNY