Miles For Heros Ceremony

This Monday is Memorial Day, it is a day in America where we remember those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.  One of the awesome things about living on a military base are the opportunities for us to honor those fallen heroes.  All over base and especially in the schools there are special ceremonies held around Memorial Day. As you are busy enjoying the family picnics and spending time with friends on the day off from school and work take a moment to be thankful for the freedom you have to enjoy these times and remember those that have paid the ultimate price for that freedom.

Each of the second graders in the girls' elementary school had to pick a fallen hero that they wanted to do a special project on and honor during a Memorial Day ceremony this past week.  Lucy choose to do her project on Marine Capt. John Maloney.   John was the brother of a very good family friend of ours.  Russ had the opportunity to meet John a few times and greatly respected him.  Lucy had to research John's personal life and his military accomplishments.  Russ was able to spend some time helping her with the project and explaining the sacrifice that John made serving our nation.

Part of the project was an oral presentation to her class talking about her hero and why she choose him.  This past Wednesday, they had a Miles For Heroes Ceremony where they remembered the fallen heroes and each of the kids walked a mile in honor of their hero.  Lucy was chosen to present the class hero during the ceremony and she was also interviewed about her hero for television.

Lucy's teacher lining the class up.

Presentation of The Colors

USFK (United States Forces Korea) Honor Guard rifle drill

A speech by Air Force Major General Bishop. 

Lucy had no idea how many people would be in attendance at the ceremony but once she saw that the stands were almost full she became very nervous.

I was sitting right in the middle of the stands when I took this picture so this was about half the audience she had to present in front of.

Here she is waiting for her turn to present.  She is just now looking out at the crowd and realizing how many people were out there.  This is where the nerves really hit her.  I, on the other hand, knew how many people would be there and was extremely nervous the entire time.

How nerve wracking is this?  She had to stand in the middle of the football field behind a podium and microphone to speak.

She read slowly and clearly from her card.  I was so proud of her.  She did awesome.

All done, she looks so relieved and a big smile for mom.

This soldier stood behind each of the class heroes as the children spoke about them.  It made the presentations all the more real to put a face with a name.

A moment of silence for the fallen heroes we were honoring.  All 150 second graders were completely silent during this time.

The kids sang "Proud To Be An American" and "Thank You, Soldier"

After the ceremony the kids each walked (ran) a mile in honor of their hero.  They did the first lap by themselves then the parents joined them for the last three laps.

It was chaos on the field.

Like I mentioned above Lucy did her project on our family friend John Maloney.  It was an honor for her and I to walk in memory of Capt. Maloney.  He was an awesome husband, father and Marine. 

Each of the classes made a special presentation board with some of the heroes.  Lucy's project on John was on the board.

Marine Captain John W. Maloney (1968-2005)  Captain John Maloney was from Chicopee, MA.  He graduated from Chicopee high school in 1986.  John was married and had 2 kids.  On June 16th, 2005 in Ramadi, Iraq a bomb destroyed his vehicle and he died.  He is buried in Arlington cemetery.  He will never be forgotten by his Marines or his family.

They hung a huge "Wall of Remembrance" banner that you could sign and write messages on.

Out of all the second graders 2 were chosen to be interviewed about their heroes for TV.  Again, Lucy was very nervous wearing a microphone and being filmed but she did great. 

Even as military members we often get so caught up in our days that we forget the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom.  This ceremony was an awesome reminder that freedom truly is not free.