Dear clients and friends:
I trust this email finds you, your family, and all your friends happy and well! I wanted to send you all a short message as we prepare to celebrate our nation’s Independence Day holiday, and as we this past May, spent Memorial Day remembering and honoring those who died while protecting our country, our fellow Americans, and our allies.
As you may already know, more than two million of our nation’s bravest currently serve on active-duty and in the reserves of our combined armed forces. While many soldiers are located within our borders, nearly a quarter million are deployed across the globe! They serve on the high seas in carrier strike groups, destroyers, and submarines, as well as on military bases, in infantry and armored divisions, and in air operations, across many dozens of nations in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific region.
As we celebrate our nation’s 249th birthday, let’s honor the legacy of 1776 by honoring these individuals in uniform – fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, cousins, neighbors, and friends! They stand as the living continuation of the legacy of the original Continental Army, defending our founding values of freedom and independence! Look, military service requires a tremendous personal sacrifice – long deployments away from home, separation from loved ones, and frequently, physical dangers. So many military personnel have given, and continue to give, their lives, health, and time, and in celebrating them on Independence day, we can show them that we truly value the old adage that freedom is not free, and that we all enjoy our many benefits because they were
earned and preserved through the bravery and sacrifice of others!
And so, as you watch (or send up) the “rockets’ red glare” of patriotic fireworks, know that the tradition of fireworks is very old indeed! It began one year after the Declaration of Independence, when Philadelphia held the first organized celebration on July 4, 1777! The fireworks we enjoy so much represent the explosiveness of the American Revolution – our dramatic break from British rule – they serve as a reminder of the battles we fought, and the risk and courage of our Founding Fathers and men and women in uniform!
Enjoy the holiday and thank you so much for your friendship and fellowship!
