Honoring the Fallen This Memorial Day

By Tom Lang

Every Memorial Day we need to keep in mind those who never made it home from serving our country over the course of our nation’s history.

Memorial Day Weekend is an appropriate time to reflect on, and sincerely remember and honor, each of those we lost.

With the ongoing support of Delta Air Lines, the volunteers and part-time staff of Michigan Armed Forces Hospitality Center – known at Detroit Metro Airport as the Michigan Freedom Center – daily do their best to honor all active-duty and Veterans still with us – with Care, Comfort and Courtesy. The organization provides free and comfortable services in its military lounge to ease travel for active-duty military and Veterans alike.

The MI Freedom Center also has a special Care Team to comfort the families of lost loved ones who are returned home via Detroit.

“One very special service provided by the MI Freedom Centers is the Care Team,” said volunteer Kathy Galuszka. “They care for families and friends of fallen heroes arriving at Detroit Metro Airport. The fallen soldier’s family and friends are supported with a military honor guard. The Care Team stands by to offer tissues, snacks, beverages – but mostly solemn respect for their sacrifice on behalf of our freedom.”

Each Memorial Day Weekend, Delta Air Lines and the MI Freedom Center put out a display in each terminal arranged with military flags and a flower wreath to honor the fallen. Each year many airline passengers stop at the temporary memorial to pay their respects. On Friday of the past four Memorial Day weekends, a special service is held complete with the posting of the American flag, the laying of a flower wreath, signing the National Anthem, and the playing of Taps. American Legion Post 202 in Detroit assisted this year.

When military guests visit the MI Freedom Center at either Evans Terminal or the McNamara Terminal (which first opened on Veterans Day in November of 2011), they get the chance to unwind in a comfortable environment in the airport. It’s a small way supporters can show respect and say thank you to all of those who first served us. Through the financial support of Delta Air Lines and the general public, it allows Freedom Center volunteers to be the face and hands at giving service to the guests.

This past February 10, the One Millionth guest came through the doors.

“The Freedom Center gives us that moment of decompression…because you can come home a wreck,” said Joe Munoz, a combat Veteran in Michigan. “You know you’re in a safe place, a quiet place, a respectful place. The volunteers are amazing… they have a sense like they know (what to do) to make our couple of hours at the Freedom Center more relaxing and a benefit to us. That’s what I love about the Freedom Center. We’re so grateful we have the opportunity to have it at the airport.”

More background information on the Michigan Freedom Center can be found at: www.mifreedomcenter.org.

If your church, community group or Veterans organization would like us to make an informative presentation, write to: tom@mifreedomcenter.org.

Donations to keep the MI Freedom Center open can be made online, or mailed to: Michigan Freedom Center, 2581 World Gateway Place, Detroit, MI 48242.