My grandfather served his country in the United States Navy on a Destroyer in the Pacific ocean during WW2. He survived a typhoon and his ship on multiple occasions narrowly missed destruction at the hand of Kamikaze pilots. His ship was tasked with confirming the horrific results of the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, where he bore witness to an unprecedented technology of violence. This had a profound impact on him, and later in his life he would spend much time working as an engineer with Japanese engineers in mutual projects of creation. Though he had seen the horrors of war, he had grown to have the utmost respect for all human life. Though my grandfather survived the war, he knew many brave young men who did not. He saw it as his responsibility to remember the sacrifice or those who fell in combat. He was a lifelong member of the local VFW chapter and marched every Memorial Day until the end of his life.
The Mandt System is a course that teaches conflict resolution techniques and De-escaltion Training. On this Memorial day, we at the Mandt System recognize the ultimate sacrifice that so many have made in the most violent form of conflict. These lives were not lost in vain, as can be seen in the faces of the sons and daughters that live on. Our freedoms have come at great cost. This cost cannot be considered lightly. Our freedoms must not be taken for granted, lest we risk losing them. May the souls of those who gave everything be at peace. Enjoy your extended weekend folks, but remember the history behind why we observe Memorial Day.
John Windsor – Director of Technical Curricula
