Memorial Day is more—far more—than a day for merchandise sales or the unofficial start of summer. It is a day we set aside to honor the brave men and women that have fallen in the performance of their military duties while serving in the U.S. armed forces.

To be exact this nation has had a grand total of 1,354,664-plus recorded deaths in all of America’s conflicts ranging from the Revolutionary War to the global war on terrorism. To put this in perspective, each one of the 50 stars that adorns our flag represents the death of roughly 27,000 U.S soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who paid for the freedom we enjoy today.

Our freedom that has come without this terrible price and today is the day we honor their sacrifice for this great Republic. A sacrifice that is a true expression of selfless service—one that no one would pick for themselves. Whether they volunteered at a time of war, served during peacetime or never expected to wear our nation’s uniform until their draft card arrived, they represented and represent the best America has to offer.

At cemeteries across the nation and families will pay their humble respects and quiet tribute to a father, mother, sister, or brother who gave their lives so that we, the living, may be heirs to the freedoms they defended. The loss may be fresh, or it may only be a distant but still painful memory, but if you visit any cemetery, you will see the tokens of remembrance—flowers, stones, and photos—left behind by those still grieving their loss.

My own family’s service goes back to Bunker Hill and Cold Harbor, where we lost two fathers in combat. On this Memorial Day, I pray they will be the last in my family to die, but as a realist I suspect that will not be the case.

I lost 27 of my own shipmates on 9/11, many of them who had retired after years of selflessly serving their nation only to find themselves back into harm’s way and in the bulls eye of American Airlines flight 77. One minute they were at their desk on a beautiful September morning and the next they were obliterated in a conflagration that no one could survive unscathed. They were like many others in our nation’s history who answered the call they were struck down in the service to their nation by pure evil and tyranny that is constantly knocking on our door with only members of our military keeping them at bay.

Today, many will visit our nations Armed Forces Medical Centers to honor American men and women who to this day still struggle just to make it until tomorrow because they endured the horror of war to ensure the blessings of liberty for you and me. Unfortunately, the statics show that many of them will take their own lives to quell the demons that have haunted them from serving in combat. I pray their selfless sacrifices will never be forgotten nor taken for granted.

On Memorial Day, no American should take their freedoms for granted. Instead, let us join together united as one people, one nation under God, to honor our brothers and sisters who wear the uniform, the families that fear for them, and the ones who paid that terrible price for our liberty. It is our sacred duty as Americans regardless of our political beliefs or ideology to honor those men and women who answered the call their selfless service and death was paid to preserve your individual freedom and liberty.

Yes, across America on Memorial Day there are countless fields of honor where those who lie eternally in repose paid dearly for the freedom we enjoy and many take for granted today. It is your duty to never forget those who answered the call and keep the flame of freedom alive.