HONORING SACRIFICE, REMEMBERING WITH PURPOSE
Well, Memorial Day has officially passed, but I want to share a moment that I had on the Sunday prior to Memorial Day. I was out walking for my daily PT (yes—sadly, now I mostly walk for PT). Anyway—in one of the Signal threads, one of my old Ranger Buddies, Joe Clark (RHOF), posted some old pictures of the 1995 Best Ranger Competition (BRC). I competed that year and saw an old name—SGT Aaron Weaver that I had not thought of in a long time. I served with SGT Weaver in 3/75 and competed against him in BRC 1995. SGT Weaver was a decorated member of Task Force Ranger and had survived the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu recounted in the book (and movie) Blackhawk Down. He was a great Ranger and friend.
By 2004, Aaron had made the transition from Ranger Squad leader to helicopter pilot and was assigned to C Troop, 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. Sadly, Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Aaron A. Weaver was killed Jan. 8, 2004, when his UH-60 Black Hawk Medevac helicopter was shot down near Fallujah, Iraq. Aaron had fought just to be there. He was still rebounding from testicular cancer and could have certainly avoided deploying. However, everyone reading knows that no Ranger worth his salt is going to avoid a combat deployment.
On that same January 8th, 2004, I was serving as the battalion chaplain for 1-505 PIR. Our battalion had QRF responsibilities for the Area of Operations around Fallujah and responded to the medevac crash that killed Aaron and eight other U.S. Soldiers that day. We had the grim mission of securing the crash site and recovering the fallen. As with most helo crashes, there was a significant fireball, and most of the killed were badly burned and disfigured. I helped recover Aaron’s remains, and he was unrecognizable to me until I saw his dog tags. So, this Memorial Day hit a little differently for me. I realized that I had failed to really remember or share with others what Memorial Day is supposed to be about. The day is supposed to be about remembering. I had failed to remember the price Aaron Weaver, and so many others, had paid for our nation.
So, I sat down and immediately began writing a list of those I served alongside throughout the years who paid the full price for the freedom we so often take for granted. This past Memorial Day, I shared some of those stories with friends and family, both in person through social media, who did not have the privilege of knowing these heroes. So many in our nation simply do not know anyone who even served, much less anyone who died, in combat. So, one of the best ways we can honor our brothers and sisters who died in service to our nation is to share their stories.
Memorial Day was established to honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation. Memorial Day is about remembering. We also have a biblical mandate to remember. Throughout Scripture, God’s people are urged to recall acts of deliverance and sacrifice—whether it was Israel setting up stones after crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land (Joshua 4:6-7) or Jesus commanding us to “do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19).
Remembering is more than looking back—it should shape our hearts today, like that Sunday walk challenged me when I remembered my Ranger Buddy Aaron Weaver. So even though the holiday has passed, please take some time to truly remember those who have laid down their lives in the service of our nation. Tell their stories to others who simply do not have a clue! Whenever I think of sacrifice, I am reminded of the greatest sacrifice of all: Christ laying down His life so that we might live eternally (John 15:13).
Rangers Lead the Way!
Chaplain Dan Knight
(601)-988-5087
d.knight@threerangersfoundation.org