Memorial Day 2008

I would just like to pay tribute to all those who have served their country, through military service in particular on this Memorial Day weekend. This sense of gratitude I believe is in most American's minds and I would just like to use this to thank my family for their past and present service. Saying "I am grateful" for what they do and did feels awkward sometimes, simply because they are only words. Military service has been a been a large aspect of our family, but as with so many that each of us know personally, it has never caused anyone I have known to seek personal recognition.

While many in our family have served and are now buried at Arlington National Cemetery, I wish to pay a special tribute to "Opa", Col. Francis Michael Manning, my grandfather, buried at Arlington National Cemetery. He was a great man, and example to me. Arlington is a special place, and anyone who gets the opportunity to ever go to the DC area, this should be visit #1 in my opinion. Hope you enjoy the video...even if you don't like country music...(You'll have to shut the music off to the right to hear the video)