On Memorial Day, our nation pauses to remember those Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. Our national reflection on this most solemn of holidays serves to “cherish tenderly the memories of our heroic dead who made their breast a barricade between our country and its foes,” as eloquently stated by General John Alexander Logan in 1868 to honor the dead of our Civil War. 

For the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation family, this day carries special meaning. Behind every fallen service member is a family whose sacrifice continues long after the battlefield falls silent — spouses who carry on, children who grow up without a parent’s embrace, and loved ones who bear both pride and grief in equal measure.

Memorial Day is not only a day of remembrance, but also a stirring reminder of the enduring strength of the American spirit. The legacy of those we honor lives on in the values they defended: honor, courage, commitment – and an unwavering love of country. It lives on in their children and the next generation of young Americans who strive to lead lives worthy of that sacrifice.

As we gather with family and friends this weekend, let us take a moment to reflect on the extraordinary men and women who made our freedoms possible. Their example calls each of us to rededicate ourselves to serve in our own way — to strengthen our communities, support one another, and remain faithful stewards of the ideals for which they gave their lives. 

And when our flag returns to full-staff at mid-day on Memorial Day, let us always remember that “our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each servicemember who died protecting it.”

On behalf of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, I wish you and your families a safe and reflective Memorial Day.

Semper Fidelis,

LtGen George W. Smith, Jr. USMC (Ret.)
Chairman, Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation