Memorial Day Weekend

On this Memorial Day weekend, I’m deviating slightly from my usual Afghanistan theme.

This past week, my organization suffered its first combat casualties in Afghanistan after being here for over four years. Both were due to IEDs. In the first one, our guy suffered only minor injuries, but it was a reminder that we are in a war zone.

On Wednesday that reminder was driven home more forcibly when we suffered our first fatality on the road between Kabul and Bagram. A US Army Air Force lieutenant also died in the blast and two Afghan Army officers in the vehicle were wounded.

I’ve done a more extensive Memorial Day post on my other blog Complex Topics.

The main point to remember is that Memorial Day is not about hotdogs and hamburgers and the opening day for pools, it is about remembering those who have given their lives for the United States of America. For my American readers, take a moment out of your busy weekend to remember those who have died and who are yet to die, so that you can enjoy your hamburger in peace.