Members of the Senate Republican Conference released their Memorial Day video tribute to fallen troops on Friday, with anecdotes from Navy veteran Sen. John McCain on what the holiday means to him.
McCain, R-Ariz., a pilot and prisoner of war in Vietnam, recounts heroics he saw during his time in captivity and says the holiday should be to both honor the dead and the living.
Most members of Congress are spending the holiday commemorating military sacrifices in their home districts. PresidentBarack Obama and other executive branch officials are scheduled to visit Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, to pay their respects as well.
This weekend marks the 45th year since Memorial Day was set as an official federal holiday on the last Monday of May.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
