On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln traveled to Gettysburg, PA in response to an invitation to make a "few appropriate remarks" at the consecration of a cemetery for the Union war dead.  Lincoln recognized it as an opportunity to honor all those who had given their lives in the War Between the States at the site where more men fought and more men died than in any other battle before or since on North American soil. On this Memorial Day, over 140 years later, his astute words still stir the soul. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us Today, we pay tribute to our soldiers serving courageously around the world, during one of the most challenging periods in American history, while we honor all generations of brave American service—people who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. There are 241,000 Army soldiers, over 38,000 Navy personnel and hundreds of thousands of Marine, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard...(Read Full Post)