This blog originally posted last year. We find this weekend to be a wonderful time of laughter, love, and new memories made with family and friends. We also, however, pause to reflect of those who sacrifice.

Every Day Is Memorial Day

No Picnic.

I hope to not disappoint you if you were looking for a great grilling recipe for your get together today. I am sure that you can do a search and find a skillion of those. Today I wanted to reflect on Memorial Day and what it means to remember. You may have noticed the bracelet in pictures or videos of me (Wilson). I neither try to hide it nor show it off because I wear the bracelet to remind myself that every day is Memorial Day.

Bracelet to Remember Nick

The text of the bracelet reads:

SGT Nicholas A. Robertson

SOT-A 3301 3/3 SFG(A)

KIA 03 APR 2008, Afghanistan

DE OPPRESSO LIBER

I can remember Nick the last time I saw him in Afghanistan. I would love to tell you about how great of a person he was, but there just would not be the space to do that topic justice. He was the kind of All-American kid who opted to serve his country because he loved her. Ultimately that love would put him in harms way and he would sacrifice his life.

Nick was an academic, a soldier, a linguist and a philosopher. I came across a duty roster that he had made which showed an algebraic formula for figuring out which day your duty slot came up. Needless to say, not everyone got it and some further interpretation was required, but this was how Nick saw the world. A philosopher is always looking to leverage logic in the search for the “why.”

So why do we take a day to honor the fallen? I believe it is because they willingly gave. Nick was a very smart guy and he could have done many other careers—yet he chose to apply his talents for his country. It is this act of freewill that makes the sacrifice so meaningful.

So as we take a day to honor the fallen, I wanted to pay a personal tribute to Nick and his family by saying that you may never have gotten the chance to meet him, but he indeed embodied the very best of our volunteer Armed Forces. Seeing his picture there on my wrist reminds me every day the value of sacrifice and free will.

If you choose to, please leave a comment below for his family.

Wilson

Pro Deo et Patria

Websites that honor Nick and some press releases about him:

http://www.mainesecurity.com/IMO/IMO-Nicholas-Robertson.htm

http://www.legacy.com/guestbook/bangornews/guestbook.aspx?n=nicholas-robertson&pid=107378945

http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=11810

http://www.soc.mil/uns/Releases/2011/May/110527-02.html

http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/press_room/2009/add_names_09.shtml

http://www.nsa.gov/about/_files/memorial_wall/robertson.pdf

http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17940

http://www.shadowspear.com/vb/threads/special-operations-intelligence-sergeant-killed-in-afghanistan-rip.2164/