The United States celebrates Memorial Day, a day to remember the men and women in the armed services who have given their lives for our country.
The late General Colin Powell wrote of the granite Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D. C., “At no other battle monument are people so moved, stenciling names and leaving gifts like combat boots, uniforms, sonograms, even a motorcycle.”
He reminds us that “establishing memorials is one way that Americans can repay the debt owed to the people who have died serving this country.” *
Now it’s your turn: What are other ways we can “repay the debt owed”? Write a list of things people can do or write a thank-you note to a real soldier or an imaginary one. What do you think a soldier would like to read in a thank-you note?
* General Colin L. Powell, “Why We Serve,” Parade, Nov. 6, 2011, p. 18.
Click here to enjoy a Memorial Day prompt for high school students.
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