FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — A Memorial Day ceremony at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery recognized the sacrifices of military members and their families Monday.
The Army post hosts the ceremony every year.
More than 24,000 people are interred on the grounds of the cemetery.
Lt. Gen. Milford H. Beagle, Jr., the commanding general at the post, led the ceremony. He called the cemetery a place of quiet and peace.
“When you understand the life of a military service member, their spouse, or their family, it’s always noise. It’s the noise of combat, the noise of moving, the noise of rifle ranges,” Beagle said. “When you pay that ultimate sacrifice, you have that peace. Finally, that service member gets to rest in honored glory, and they get to rest in peace.”
Sean Cochran, a Purple Heart recipient and a retired member of the Missouri Army National Guard, attended the ceremony with his family.
He thinks it’s important for his children to understand how the sacrifices of past service members allow them to live the life they live.
“[They should] live out a life of gratitude and understanding that things aren’t free. It’s kind of a cliche: ‘freedom isn’t free.’ But bumper stickers are based in reality sometimes,” Cochran said. “I just don’t want to raise people who take things for granted.”
The ceremony including laying of wreaths, a 21-gun salute, raising the American flag and a performance of Taps.
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