Honoring Those Who We Lost

Every day, I wear three metal bracelets on my wrist. Each is emblazoned with the names of the friends I lost on the battlefield in the Global War on Terror.

Despite my injuries, I recognize I am one of the lucky ones. I got to come home and be with my family. I may have lost two legs and a finger, but there isn't a day I wouldn't trade those again for the friends I lost in Afghanistan.

Serving comes with a sacrifice. Yet, sometimes it's easy to forget that our country was built and sustained by the sacrifice of brave American warriors. That's why we build memorials to honor the fallen.

Last week, I was proud to be on hand to rededicate the Global War on Terror "Wall of the Fallen" Memorial within the Rayburn House Office Building, where my office is located. This memorial displays the names of 7,054 fallen U.S. service members who gave their lives so we can exercise our freedoms.

The names of more than 100 soldiers that I knew personally are engraved on the memorial. If not for the hand of fate, my name could have easily been up there as well.

That reality hit home for me during the rededication ceremony, but I was also reminded that every day is an opportunity to honor those we lose during the Global War on Terror.

We will never take their sacrifice for granted, and we will never stop fighting for this great nation.