TSTC student and military veteran discusses honoring the fallen this Memorial Day

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Memorial Day is a time of reflection and gratitude. It is a time to remember those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom, those who are unable to return home to their families and loved ones.

Gary Wood, a military veteran and first-semester student in the Cybersecurity program at Texas State Technical College’s Fort Bend County campus, recently recalled that there were many reasons why he and others chose to serve.

“I chose to serve because of 9/11,” Wood said. “After going to work that day, I decided to sign up. There was a whole range of reasons why people chose to sign up, especially in the infantry where I served. But that’s OK because everybody there was serving their country.”

Wood served in the Marine Corps for 10 years until 2012. For him, Memorial Day is a day to spend time reflecting on those who fell in battle.

“I do understand Memorial Day is a holiday, but for me it is a little more somber,” Wood said. “I try to talk to my kids about those I knew and spend some time remembering them.”

He finds that this is a good way for everyone to honor the lives of those who sacrificed for their freedom. He urges people to find even just a few minutes to think about and honor them on Memorial Day.

He also suggests calling up family members or loved ones of those who have fallen and talking with them. Donating to charities that help those families or veterans can also be a good way to honor their sacrifice.

“Freedom isn’t free,” Wood said. “It’s got to get paid. And unfortunately, it sometimes has to be paid with lives. That’s the reason it is so important to take a day to remember them. For a lot of people like me, we spend every day thinking about them.”

This Memorial Day, TSTC honors those who sacrificed their lives in service to our country.