L I F E
MEMORIAL
DAY Memorial Day Remains a Solemn Tribute for the Men and Women Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice
RGVISION MAGAZINE
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MAY/JUN 2023
by Brya n K ir k | p h o to s p r o vi d ed For many Americans, Memorial Day is a three-day weekend that signals the beginning of summer, and it’s hardly uncommon for most to spend that first summer weekend at South Padre Island, Port Aransas, or Galveston Island. However, military veterans hold the meaning of that solemn day especially close, often for reasons they may not share with their friends and family. Oscar Garcia and Carl Farmer both served in combat areas and have a deeper understanding of Memorial Day. “Some people fail to realize these freedoms are not free,” Farmer said. “Lives were sacrificed to secure and keep them. The difference between me celebrating Memorial Day and others is that I have names to remember. I have friends who died for these freedoms.” Farmer, who is originally from Detroit, Michigan, is the Care Pastor at The Family Church. Farmer, who retired from the Navy after 20 years of accumulated service, joined the Navy in 1973. “I had a high school friend who told me about joining the Navy,” he said. He spent his 18th birthday in boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Base.
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