Presentation at Bay County Patriots, Panama City, Florida

Deb & Bay Patriots President, Former U.S. Navy, & Patriot Guard Rider, Patrick T. Moore

Mom Brunie Kosta and son, Junior Patriot, Austin

Patriot, former U.S. Airforce, and local radio talk show host, Burnie Thompson introducing Deb

Bay Patriots of Panama City, Florida is a self supported organization founded in 2009. The organization is comprised of local citizens who advocate for constitutional freedom and liberty through education, seminars, handing out copies of the constitution and holding government accountable.

On Tuesday evening, May 4, I was honored to be guest speaker at the monthly meeting held at Mosely High School. Patriot and former Air Force Captain, now local radio talk show host, Burnie Thompson, introduced me to a group of over 100 citizens that included a number of Junior Patriots.

As photos from Patrick's tour in Iraq and his memorial service held at in Baghdad crossed the screen behind me, I gave a brief history of Blue and Gold Service Star flags followed by the following talk:

At the end of this month, those of us who truly understand its significance will be recognizing Memorial Day, a day originally called Decoration Day that began in 1868 following the end of our country's civil war.

The aftermath of this war spread the blood of over 600,000 dead across America. Hearts were empty except for grief, homes and property were destroyed, and broken bodies returned to whatever place was called home. Townspeople in communities across the country began visiting the local graves of their fallen to remember and honor them by decorating the resting places with flowers, wreaths, and crosses.

On May 30, 1868, for the first time, flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

After World War I, the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war. Unfortunately, over the years, the meaning of the traditional observances of Memorial Day has dimished.

After World War II, a war that cost 407,316 American lives to stop the spread of Hitler's savagery and to defend ourselves against the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, our country moved forward.

Subsequent generations were born into the most fee and prosperous nation on earth. And unfortunately these generations have grown into the "I, me" crowd where the majority know little about sacrificing for the American way of life they are blessed with.

During the America Revolution, rag tag militia fought and died in tattered clothes and barefeet in winter's snow to help create a free nation. Wealthy men willingly became paupers, giving up homes and fortunes in the fight for independence to build a republic for the people, by the people.

To date, over one million have died on behalf of this country, including our current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Military families of all generations have suffered greatly as they have stood behind and for the loved ones willing to serve their country and defend its constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. As a military family of the 21st century, my husband and I and those like us have not only striven to learn to live with the death of a child in war, but we've had to learn to live being on the world stage with controversial politics and opinions debated in the hallways of the world.

We've had to learn to live with protestors and their malicious signs standing near our fallen children's funeral services. We've had to live with questions like, "why did you let your son join the military in the first place?"

Military families have learned to live with the fact that we are part of the less than one percent of our national population that serves, sacrifices, and protects the rest. As part of this less than one percent, our Blue and Gold Star families often remain apart, sometimes feeling alienated from the rest of the population.

Since the death of our son, Sgt Patrick Tainsh in Iraq 2/11/04, I've worked with other parents of fallen heroes and compiled a new book. Surviving the Folded Flag: Parents of war share stories of coping, courage, and faith, which will release to the public by Memorial Weekend, is a work of love to share the journeys of 20 other families and the bio of their fallen heroes. My dream for this work is provide other grieving families a source to validate their emotions and emotional roller coaster ride after the death of a loved one at war, to keep the legacies of these fallen heroes alive, and provide profits from book sales to wounded warrior projects and The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors of military personnel.

A mom from Merritt Island, Fla wrote in her story for Surviving that over Memorial Weekend 2008 she and her husband visited Arlington where their son, Captain Christopher Kenny now rests since his death in Iraq. Jackie says that as they walked through Arlington and visited older graves, they stopped at the resting place of Air Force General Oliver Wendel Lewis. On the headstone was etched: "Let not my death diminish your llife, walk in the world for me."

This is now our duty, to walk in the world for each of the heroes who gave all so we can live the American dream. The Bay Patriots is an incredible example of walking in the world for our fallen heroes. They honor our fallen, wounded, and those still serving and their families through their efforts to remind a community about our founding fathers and mothers and the constitution.

Although a great nation founded on Judeo-Christian teachings, we are not a perfect nation and building our country did not go with out the pain of slavery and a war that changed the course for others. We did not go without the pain of the Trail of Tears that brought destruction to our native American Indians.

But aside from government inadequacies in building this nation and the 19th century bellief in Manifest Destiny, Americans are a good and compassionate people. We are the 911 call center for the world and provide more funds to help rescues others than any other country.

Our men and women in uniform are the greatest ambassadors to other nations than any one else as is shown in the stories of Surviving the Folded Flag.

Our country has problems that need correcting and roots we need to return to, but the greatest percentage of our population still believes in a Creator and God given right to freedom. Men and women have shed their blood to create a country free to worship and pray with tolerance.

When Dave, I and several other families met with President George Bush on January 11, 2007 at Ft. Benning, Georgia, a Gold Star dad ask if he could say a prayer for the President and our country. We all held hands in a circle that included the President.

Before the prayer was offered, President Bush told us tht he considered himself the most fortunate leader in the entire world because he was the only leader who could depend on the prayers of his people. And that he and Laura depended on those prayers to get through each day.

We all carry heavy hearts about things affecting our country and lives on this journey on the continuum of history. But we also have strength through the Creator who is still in control. I can't believe that our Creator, who has brought our country so far and through so much turmoil in past centuries, will not help us conquer current difficulties.

So, to Bay Patriots of Panama City, Florda and all organizations and individuals working to keep our nation free and a beacon to others, thank you for all you do.

I ask God's blessing on each of you, our valiant warriors still serving in the fight against terrorism, their families, and on this still great nation.