05/25/2026
Our event was rained out today, but I wanted to share my words that were planned for the crowd we had:
I want to take a moment to talk about something many Americans—through no fault of their own—often confuse: the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
Both days are important. Both are patriotic. Both involve service and sacrifice. But they honor different groups of people, and understanding that difference matters.
Before I explain that difference, I think it is important to remember where Memorial Day itself began.
The roots of Memorial Day stretch back to the years following the Civil War, a conflict that claimed more American lives than any war in our nation’s history. Communities across the country began gathering to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and flags. Families, friends, and fellow Americans came together to decorate the graves of those who never came home.
Originally known as “Decoration Day,” these gatherings became a way to honor sacrifice and preserve memory. Over time, after additional wars and generations of service members gave their lives defending this country, the observance evolved into what we now know as Memorial Day—a national day set aside not simply for celebration, but for remembrance.
And that purpose still matters today.
Veterans Day is a day to celebrate and thank those who served in our nation’s military. It is a day to shake a veteran’s hand, tell them “thank you for your service,” and recognize the men and women who answered the call and came home. It is a celebration of service.
Memorial Day is different.
Memorial Day is not primarily about those of us who served and returned. It is about those who never made it home. It is about the sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, and teammates who gave everything in service to this nation.
Today is not a day of recognition for sacrifice—it is a day of remembrance for the ultimate sacrifice.
For many veterans, Memorial Day carries a weight that can be difficult to explain. For some, it brings memories of a buddy whose laughter they can still hear. For others, it brings back the face of someone they stood beside, served beside, and loved like family.
For me, one of those faces is HM3 Aaron Kent—my Doc.
Aaron was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He was the kind of man every Marine hopes to have beside them. Corpsmen are a special breed. They run toward danger when everyone else is trying to survive it. They carry not just medical gear, but the weight of taking care of everyone around them.
On April 23, 2005, while conducting combat operations in Fallujah, Iraq, Aaron was killed by an IED.
He never made it home.
For many people, Memorial Day is a long weekend. For me—and for many veterans—it is Aaron. It is the men and women whose names we still say, whose jokes we still remember, and whose absence we still feel.
Because many of us who served did not make it here alone. We stand on ground made possible by people who never got the chance to grow old, raise families, chase dreams, or enjoy the freedoms they defended.
At Warrior Legacy Ranch, we understand that service creates bonds unlike any other. We know that military units become families. And when one member of that family is lost, that absence never truly leaves.
So before we continue today, I ask each of you to think of someone.
Think of a friend. Think of a family member. Think of a teammate. Think of someone whose sacrifice made your life possible.
And if you did not personally know one of the fallen, remember people like Aaron Kent. Remember the thousands of Americans whose names most of us never knew, but whose sacrifice gave us this day, this freedom, and this moment together.
Today I remember HM3 Aaron Kent.
