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State Senator Keith Faber
A Time to
Remember the Sacrifice of our Fallen Soldiers
Memorial Day is about so much more than summer barbeques and bright,
candy-filled parades. It is a time to honor the service and sacrifice
of our brave men and women in uniform.
Established in the wake of massive Civil War casualties, Memorial Day
was initially called Decoration Day. Every year on May 30th, after
weeks of preparation, members of the military – joined by ladies'
societies, veterans, a band and schoolchildren towing wagons full of
flowers – would march in detailed precision to decorate the graves of
fallen soldiers. Afterwards, everyone would gather in local churches
for memorial services honoring those who gave their lives fighting for
our nation’s freedom.
Many of us know someone who once served in the military or someone who
is currently stationed overseas. We keep their names, faces and stories
in our hearts as we pause and give thanks for their selfless devotion
to their country, and we remember those who have gone before them.
Ohio has suffered the loss of 275 brave soldiers since 2003. We are
proud to claim them as Buckeyes and humbled to remember their courage.
Here in the Ohio Senate, we seek to pass legislation that honors the
memory of the fallen and lightens the burden on the families they left
behind. In 2014, we passed a bill to designate State Route 67 in
Auglaize County as the “Staff Sgt. Sonny Zimmerman Memorial Highway.”
State Sgt. Zimmerman lost his life while stationed in Afghanistan in
July 2013. While we can never truly thank people like Staff Sgt.
Zimmerman for their tremendous sacrifice, measures like this are a
small way to demonstrate our gratitude to his wife, daughter and all
the loved ones he left behind.
While Memorial Day is a day to remember those who have fallen in the
line of duty, it is important to remember that those who made it back
home have made incredible sacrifices as well. We in the Senate must do
all we can to support Ohio’s veterans. One example of the support we
try to offer is a bill currently under consideration in a Senate
committee that would standardize veteran identification cards in Ohio.
If passed, this bill will ensure that veterans who are currently unable
to receive a veteran ID card from the federal government or their local
registrar’s office still have the opportunity to access restaurant and
retail discounts, job applications benefits and veteran hospital
services. Our veterans put their lives on the line in service to our
country. When they come home safely, it is our turn to serve them. We
honor the fallen by caring for the living.
Whether you take time this Memorial Day to place a bouquet on the grave
of a loved one or march in a parade, this weekend is an opportunity for
all of us to express gratitude for the sacrifice that preserves our
freedom.
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