<p>The dangers faced and sacrifices made by the graduates of our military academies are all too real. I experienced a painful parent's sadness and emptiness in my heart when I heard about the service-related death of a recent USMA academy graduate. </p>
<p>It is with great sadness that I include the link to a eulogy page for 1LT Laura Margaret Walker, USMA class of 2003. She died in Kandahar, Afghanistan, when an improvised explosive device detonated underneath her vehicle.</p>
<p>1/LT Aaron Seesan, USA 03 was killed as the result of an IED roadside attack on his vehicle in Iraq on Friday evening near Mosul as part of Task Force Olympia. Critically wounded, Seesan was evacuated to Germany for treatment, but passed away on Sunday, May 22nd. Seesan was the only member of the Class of 2003 to be commissioned in the US Army at graduation and went on to complete Combat Engineering training in addition to an Airborne Course and Sapper Leader Training (Equivalent Ranger Training). He was a member of Company A, 73rd Engineer Battalion. While at the Academy he was a member of the Marine Corps Option and was the Honor Board Chairman in his first class year.</p>
<p>Ahhhh guys. I write this with such a heavy heart. Brings us all back down to earth it seems. I just run around in my busy little nothing of a day thinking about my wonderful little life and BOOM! The reality of what these kids do, gets punched into our stomachs, knocking the wind out of us with every single news report of a loss. Its an awful feeling realizing that there will be nothing I will ever be able to do to keep my sons 100% safe. It could so tragically happen to any of us.... I just close my eyes tight and try not to think about it. So so sad for the families. So so sad for the young lives lost. I sure could use a hug and a kiss from mine about now.</p>
<p>One thing at USNA that really struck a chord with me was Memorial Hall in Bancroft Hall. Here was this beautiful room, very quiet and only a few steps from all the hustle and bustle of the academy. Etched on Limstone in the walls were the names, by class, of all those graduates who have given the ultimate sacrifice. When you look at the walls and see that there are beginning to have names under the recent graduating classes, it really hits home. These aren't just "colleges".<br>
NAPS05mom</p>
<p>Navy2010 - yes please! Toddle on over there and get me a kiss! A big one! I'll call the front gate and tell them you're coming. Thank you! LOL</p>
<p>USMMA has a beautiful pergola with flowering vines covering it located towards the waterfront. It has a railing with brass name plates of some who have fallen. Its very touching. Not all of the names are for memorials and they have a few others scattered around campus as well. Unfortunatley, I'm a big old watering pot and had to skitter out of there pretty quickly. I cry when I hear the National Anthem so you can well imagine what happens at places of memorial....</p>
<p>...or the "golden bond" between classes at USNA....those classes celebrating "50 years" and the new entering class....gold from the academy rings of the former melted and mixed with that used to cast the new ones for the latter, forever bonding the 2....
just have to love and appreciate the bonds formed at all these institutions and between alum, and the proud traditons that keep it alive...what an honor....and what a source of support when things are less bright...and lets also remember the "another link in the chain" at the USCGA....what a legacy!</p>
<p>The West Point version of USNA's "golden bond" is called the Class Ring Memorial Program. Graduates' class rings are donated back to the Academy after they pass away and are melted down into an ingot of gold. The ingot currently includes gold from rings dating back to the 19th Century. Each year there is a ceremony at the foundry in which some gold is taken from the ingot and added to the gold that produces the rings the graduating class receives early in their Firstie year. Thus, each class ring carries a small piece of the Long Gray Line. (Information is from the Class of 2005 Ring Banquet program.)</p>
<p>This is Ring Weekend for the Class of 2006.</p>
<p>The fifty-year bond is also strong at West Point. Representatives of the fifty-year class attend the R-Day oath ceremony, do the 15-mile Marchback from Lake Frederick at the end of Beast (remember that these guys are around 60), and participate in every major class milestone over forty-seven months. At graduation each grad is handed a set of inscribed "butter bars" by a member of the fifty-year class.</p>
<p>The bonds at these institutions are powerful. </p>
<p>Go to Laura Walker's eulogy site and read some of the messages. Don't expect to keep dry eyes, though. As a plebe, one of our sons was in her company. He said that she was one of those perpetually positive people who make everyone around them better. A tragic loss.</p>
<p>all I can say is thank God these kids find the support in each other and from those that have gone before them- goodness knows they need it- and so do the parents left behind- what a tribute to all, and how lucky they are to experience it, even if for too short a time-
prayers go out to all that serve-</p>