Memorial Day and the Last Full Measure of Devotion

This is a guest blog written by John Vick, executive director of Concerned Veterans for America.

Memorial Day hits different when you’ve worn the uniform.

For most Americans, it’s the start of summer, with a long weekend and time with family. For veterans, it’s quieter than that. Heavier.

It’s about the ones who didn’t come home. It’s about honoring the last full measure of devotion.

Don’t just take it from me. Below are some messages from veterans explaining why Memorial Day is important to them.

A bond that doesn’t break

When you take the oath, you don’t just sign up for a job. You step into a family.

Paul Sobczak, a former naval submarine electrician’s mate 2nd class (above), says it simply: “Anybody who takes the oath and dons the uniform becomes part of a unique family.”

That bond isn’t easy to explain. It’s built through long days, shared risk, and trusting the person next to you with your life. For those who’ve lived it, there’s no need to overthink it. “We understand,” Sobczak says.

That’s what makes Memorial Day personal. It’s not about a general idea of sacrifice. It’s about people you knew, the people who stood next to you.

The names we carry

For veterans, Memorial Day is directly connected to people we know who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

John Byrnes, a U.S. Marine Corps and Army veteran and CVA strategic director, feels that every year.

“Every year as Memorial Day approaches, the names of my friends who gave their last full measure for freedom sound off to me: Mark, Segun, Chris, Wilfredo, Kevin ….”

Those names stay with you. Not just on Memorial Day, but in quiet moments throughout the year.

“And I pray Americans remember what they sacrificed for us,” Byrnes says.

That’s the ask. Remember the people, not just the holiday.

Jessica Villarreal, a veteran Army specialist and CVA–Texas strategic director, knows that weight in a way that never fades. She deployed to Afghanistan at age 18. Twenty years later, she can still see it clearly.

“We deployed together, trained together, and trusted one another with our lives,” she says. “But we would not all return home together.”

That realization settles in and sticks with you. She remembers losing six men from her unit ― people she trained with, people she trusted. That’s when the meaning of “lest we forget” became real.

“Memorial Day is not simply a holiday. It is a time to pause, to remember, and to honor the ultimate sacrifice,” Villarreal says.

For her, and for many veterans, remembering is a responsibility. It means speaking their names, telling their stories, and carrying their memory forward in how you live.

Living a life worthy of their sacrifice

Above is an image of Adam Miller, previously a corporal with the United States Marine Corps and now CVA–Ohio strategic director, while deployed to Ramadi, Iraq. He puts it in a way that sticks: “Memorial Day is both heavy and bright.”

Heavy, because of the loss. Bright, because of the lives that were lived and the freedom they defended.

“Take a moment to remember. Take a moment to give thanks. And strive every day to live a life worthy of their sacrifice,” he says.

That’s the part people miss. Memorial Day isn’t only about looking back. It’s about what comes next.

For many veterans, that looks like:

• Serving others in their communities
• Keeping the memory of the fallen alive
• Using their voices for the good of all Americans
• Carrying forward the values they stood for

That’s how their legacy continues.

More than a day

Memorial Day isn’t just a date on the calendar. It’s a reminder of what was given and who gave it.

For veterans, that responsibility is personal. But it doesn’t belong to them alone. Remembering isn’t just something veterans do. It’s something the country owes them.

Take the next step

This Memorial Day, take a moment to reflect on the last full measure of devotion.

Remember the names. Honor the sacrifice.

We encourage you to take a few minutes to visit our May “One Small Step” page, where you can virtually sign your name to the Pledge of Allegiance.

And if you’re a veteran ― or know one ― share what Memorial Day means to you.

I’d also invite you to attend Americans for Prosperity’s Last Full Measure of Devotion event, honoring the fallen on May 21 in Jacksonville, Florida.