Bringing Back the True Meaning of Memorial Day

Dixon Center for Military & Veterans Services posted our 13th episode of Service Before Self, a podcast that tackles the evolving needs of veterans and their families, based on the idea that veterans can succeed in the community where they live. The Service Before Self Podcast introduces you to people and the programs that are having an impact today; you will hear about their successes and lessons learned in creating effective programs in which veterans and their families reach their full potential.

Listen to Episode 13: Bringing Back the True Meaning of Memorial Day with Mickey Markoff, executive producer of National Salute to America’s Heroes, an event that occurs on the weekend preceding Memorial Day and showcases our country’s state of the art military technology, dynamic sea events, and interactive displays. The centerpiece is an air and sea show that demonstrates the courage and expertise of our military and first responders.

In this episode, your host, Retired Army Colonel Sam Whitehurst, Dixon Center Vice President of Programs & Services, and Mickey, discuss the need for a unifying event that brings together Americans from all walks of life, to celebrate the service and sacrifice of our fallen on Memorial Day. This year, the National Salute to America’s Heroes helped fill that gap—patriotic, inspiring, respectful, and somber are all ways to describe this year’s event. Mickey highlights why he puts this event on each year, his vision to bring it to more people in the future, and how it benefits organizations who are on the “frontlines” of assisting veterans and their families succeed where they live.

What makes this event so special is that it brings service members, veterans, their families, and the families of those who have fallen in service together with Americans who might not have an affiliation or a true understanding of what it means to serve or to be a veteran. Another goal of this event is to close the civil-military divide and to create understanding and connection for those who have served and those who haven’t.

Our affiliation with National Salute to America’s Heroes is an example of how Dixon Center serves as a clearinghouse for organizations that want to have the greatest impact in assisting veterans and their families. Through our extensive service network, we connect like-minded individuals and organizations with those groups and programs that are transforming the lives of veterans and their families. If your organization wants to support groups and charities that are having an impact but are unsure how, listen to this episode to learn more about how National Salute to America’s Heroes is bringing back the true meaning of Memorial Day and how Dixon Center can assist you in reaching your goals.

Subscribe To/Follow Service Before Self Podcast

​Whether you are an avid podcast fan or new to the medium, we invite you to give Service Before Self a listen. We invite you to listen and subscribe to the podcast. We welcome your feedback and will be reading your reviews and comments on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or one of the many other distributors.

To learn more about Dixon Center’s efforts in advancing impact via our service network, see the Dixon Center Bugler: Leveraging and Strengthening Program Networks and contact Colonel (Ret.) Sam Whitehurst, VP of Programs & Services, at swhitehurst@dixoncenter.org.

The podcast’s name, Service Before Self, recognizes the commitment demonstrated by veterans and their families during their military service as well as their potential as they reintegrate back into their communities when military service ends.