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HonorFlightsAnotherWaytoHonorVeteransByYMPFCAmyHiottUpstateSCTheUpstateYoungMarinesofGreenvilleSouthCarolinahavetakenpartinthehomecomingofHonorFlightVeteransforthelasteightyears.TwiceayearinfallandspringtheHonorFlighttakesoffearlyinthemorningfromGreenville-SpartanburgIn-ternationalAirport.Therearegroupsofvolunteersandpatrioticcitizenspresentateachtriptoseethemoff.TherearedifferentgroupsROTCschoolmarch-ingbandsScoutsetc.amongthecrowdtowel-comethelocalveteranshomeupontheirreturn.OurunitisinthatsecondgrouplinedupoutonthetarmacstandingtallandsalutingtothoseWorldWarIIandKoreanWarveteranswhodeservethehomecomingwelcomeoftheheroestheywillalwaysbe.ManyofourunithavejoinedtheYoungMarinesbecausetheyarefollowinginthefootstepsoffamilymemberswhohaveservedourcountry.AllareinvolvedfortheloveoftheUnitedStatesandforthehonortobeaYoungMarine.Itisagreatopportunitytobeinvolvedinanorganizationwhichallowsustopersonallythankthosewhoriskedtheirlivesandmadesac-ricesforourfreedoms.Thereissomethingveryspecialaboutbeinginthepresenceofthesemenandwomenbuttoseethemreturninghomefromareallymeaningfuldayfullofmemories-bothgoodandbittersweetandexcitedtobebackhomeandsharetheirexperiencewiththeirlovedonesthatismagical.TheveteransspendafulldayvisitingsitesinWashingtonDCandtheyreturnexhaustedbutclearlyveryhappy.YoungMarineshandoutthankyoucerticatesandwitnessspecialmomentsofadaytheseveteranshavewaitedtoexperience.SometimestheveteranswillstoptosalutebackandshakethehandofaYoungMarine.Itisabeautifulsightseeingtheyoungandyoung-of-heartto-gether.Thereisnogenerationgaptobridgejustlike-mindedpeopleofallageslovingourwonderfulcountryanddoingwhattheycantoserve.Itisanhonortobeapartofthisgreatevent.MileHighWeRemembertheMeaningofMemorialDayByYMLCplSarahJanaeShepherdandPVTPeytonBlitsteinMileHighCOOnMemorialDayMileHighYoungMa-rinesmetattheLittletonColoradoCem-eterytopaytributetothefallensoldiersfrompastwars.Wemetsomeamazingpeoplewhohadmadeconsiderablesacri-cesservingourcountry.Therewerealsofamilymemberswhohadlosthusbandssonsdaughtersandwives.Thatwaspos-siblythemostmovingpointofinterest.Wheneveronemakesthegreatestsacricefortheircountrytheyarenottheonlyonesaffected.Whileweenjoyourfreedomtheirfamiliesendurethelossofanimportantfamilymember.Wehandedoutprogramstoallthevisitors.Someveteransreadpoemsandgavespeeches.Manyofthespeechesmadeweredeepandinsightful.TheyremindedusaboutpartsofMemorialDaythathavebeenforgottenovertheyears.TheirwordsemphasizedtheimportanceofallpeoplewhofoughtforAmericasfreedom.Therewereseveralpoemsthatwerereadthatbroughttearstooureyes.Itwasaserioussombereventbutveryimportantbothtothememoryofthefall-enandtohonorthewarriorsstillwithus.Thereweremorethanathousandpeopleinattendance.TherearestillpeoplewhoknowthetruemeaningofMemorialDay.AndtolistentothemwastounderstandwhatMemorialDaytrulyisaboutadaytohonorthememoryofthosewhogavetheirlives.Itwasaveryspecialday.MembersoftheMileHighYoungMarinesandapotentialrecruitstandwithmembersoftheAmericanLegionandVFWattheLittletonColoradoWorldWarIIMemorial.OnMay18thTheWesternNewYorkYoungMarinesplacedAmericanFlagsonthegravesofveterans.AfewweekslatertheWesternNewYorkYoungMarinesmarchedinthe65thannualKenmore-TonawandaMemorialDayParadeinKenmoreNY.WewerehonoredthattheTownofTonawandaYouthParksandRecreationDepartmentMil-tonJ.BrounshidleAmericanLegionPost205HarryE.CrosbyVeteransofForeignWarsPost2472andtheVillageofKen-moresponsorsofthisincredibleparadechoseusaspartoftheEscortDivision.--SubmittedbyJudyLinkWesternNewYorkYoungMarinesWesternNewYorkAMonthofRemembranceESPRITPage15