THE CHICAGO “DODO” CHAPTER’S MISSING MAN and LONELY EAGLES HONORS CEREMONY

For some in this room it may have been many years since you last wore a military uniform, while others may have never served in the profession of arms. Irrespective of how you may have served your country, all Americans should never forget the brave men and women who have answered our nation’s call over the years and have served the cause of freedom in a various ways.

Imagine if you will a table, set for six, but vacant. The empty places representing American service personnel still missing from each of the five services — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard; and civilians.

I ask that you to join me in a moment of silent prayer, as we honor our POWs, MIAs & KIAs, and our current service personnel as wll as our chapter’s Lonely Eagles. In so doing, we recognize that they are with us this evening in spirit.

So therefore, let us now raise our water glasses as we make 3 toasts.

The 1st toast being to honor America’s POWs and MIAs and to the success of our continuing efforts to account for them; to them and for them, I say HERE, HERE;

The 2nd toast is to honor our nation’s fallen heros and current civilians and military forces engaged in the war on terror in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world; to all of them I say HERE, HERE.

The final toast is to honor and respect our own little band of brothers & sisters who have earned their final set of wings and have gone on before us to become Lonely Eagles.

To all of our Lonely Eagles, we say HERE, HERE.

May God grant us grace, that in pain we find comfort, in sorrow hope, and in death resurrection.

Thank you.