Don’t Thank Me This Weekend

I don’t say this to correct you.

I say it to clarify something sacred.

As a former Soldier, I’ve heard it often:

“Thank you for your service.”

And trust me — I receive it with a grateful heart.

But this weekend… Memorial Day weekend… isn’t for me.

It’s not for the Soldiers still standing post.

Not for the Sailors on watch.

Not for the Marines in formation.

Not for the Airmen in flight.

This weekend is for the ones who never came home.

The ones who gave everything.

It’s for the folded flags placed in the arms of grieving families.

The ones who stood in silence while the final salute was rendered.

The ones whose stories were cut short so ours could continue.

This isn’t just another long weekend.

It’s not just a time for barbecues, boat rides, or blowout sales.

It’s a memorial.

A time to stop and remember the cost of the freedoms we currently enjoy —

The freedom to speak.

The freedom to disagree.

The freedom to build, believe, and belong.

Regardless of your perspective —

you have the right to express it

because someone else paid for that right in full.

So this weekend, I ask just one thing:

→ Before you say “thank you for your service,”

take a moment to aim that gratitude toward the ones who gave all.

And remember — they didn’t just protect a flag…

They protected your ability to have a voice beneath it.

My book launching later this year will explore the weight of service — in life, leadership, and legacy.

But this post?

This is not about me.

It’s about them.

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