A Tribute to Our Military
In the St. Louis area on Thursday, September 16th, thousands of Americans stood in solidarity to honor our fallen Marine, Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz. Lance Cpl. Schmitz, along with Sgt. Johanny Rosario-Pichardo, Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Cpl. Daegan W. Page, Cpt. Humberto A. Sanchez, Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, Navy Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak and Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, were the most recent service members killed during the war on terror. Lance Cpl. Schmitz’s funeral procession through the city to Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery closed traffic for 30 miles of major highways, with thousands of people lining the roads and overpasses to show our respect. It was a moment that made us proud to be Americans, honoring those who helped fight for our freedom.
In the 20 years since September 11th, we have lost over 7,000 service members. The number is huge, yet hard to imagine. In the days surrounding September 11, 2021, an organization called Flags of Valor set out to create a visual memorial to honor our fallen service members and the first responders who died on 9/11. Flags of Valor displayed 7,582 flags, complete with dog tags naming and honoring each individually, for 8 days on Art Hill in Forest Park (St. Louis, MO). You can find out more about Flags of Valor here.
**Photos Courtesy of Rick Randall, Flags of Valor
How You Can Help
Our US Service Members fight for all of us daily to secure our freedom and to protect to those who need it most. In the next month and a half leading up to Veterans Day, we encourage you and your family to find ways to give back to our military. Here are some different ways that you could help or let us know if there are organizations to highlight that you are a part of that could use some help from some of us.
Adopt a Service Member, Bake Treats for Deployed, Holiday Stockings for Heros and many other opportunities available through Soldiers Angels.
Provide a meal or donate wish list items to Fisher House, which provides a “home away from home” for Veterans receiving care at a VA Medical Center.
Send cards, letters or care packages to a support our deployed Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen through Support Our Troops
Volunteer with the USO to welcome home our troops or donate to support them through USO
Donate food and personal hygiene items to a local Veterans or Military food pantry:
- St. Louis Area – Jefferson Barracks Military Food Pantry
- NY and Ohio – Feed Our Vets
- Chicago Area – Hines VA Food Pantry
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
