Wyoming Governor: "Memorial Day Is An Opportunity To Remember"

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - The citizens of Wyoming should take time on Memorial Day to remember the sacrifices of soldiers who have died and been injured in service to their country, Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal said today in a somber ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.

The Governor signed a proclamation that declares Monday, May 26 as Memorial Day in Wyoming, and said he hopes people will take the opportunity to remember soldiers and their families that day.

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“It is entirely appropriate that we pause to remember why this particular day is set aside each year for the recognition of soldiers who have paid the ultimate price in defending our freedoms,” Freudenthal said. “While President Bush talks about this nation being at war, the reality is that there is a small fraction of the population that is affected directly by the war. It seems to me that these ceremonies are even more important now than they ever have been.”

As medical advances have helped improve the care of soldiers injured in the field, many more return home. But those soldiers who survive with serious injuries shouldn’t be forgotten in the nation’s prayers on Memorial Day, the Governor said.

“There are many soldiers who, in wars gone by, would have become fatalities,” Freudenthal said. “Now, they have the opportunity to continue to live but they do so with significant burdens that they will carry for the rest of their lives. The great news is that we don’t lose as many soldiers as we used to, but we have to recognize that those soldiers have still lost something as a result of their service.”

A national moment of silence will be observed at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day to honor those who have died for the nation’s freedom.

For more information on Memorial Day observances in your community, contact local veterans service organizations or local cemetery administrators.

Source: Wyoming Governor