Memorial Day 2025: Honoring the Ultimate Sacrifice

Monday, May 26, 2025

Today, on Memorial Day, we pause—beyond the backyard barbecues and poolside gatherings—to remember those who paid the highest price for the freedoms we often take for granted. We honor the brave service members who ventured into foreign lands, shoulder to shoulder with strangers, following orders from leaders they’d never met and fighting for a mission they didn’t design. They did so so that their brothers-in-arms—and the families back home—could one day pursue their dreams in peace.

Our founder, Rich Giles, knows this sacrifice intimately. A U.S. Air Force pilot in the 1970s, Rich was fortunate enough to complete his service and embark on a second career in business. Many of his peers were not as lucky. They never touched down on American soil again, never walked their children down the aisle, and never had the chance to build a life beyond uniform and deployment. This Memorial Day, we honor those men and women whose stories ended too soon, and whose legacy lives on in our freedom to start, run, and eventually sell businesses of our own.

The Unseen Cost of Freedom

For every banner that waves on Main Street, for every small business that opens its doors, there were service members who carried the weight of war—both abroad and, upon return, within their own hearts. The camaraderie forged in combat is unbreakable: strangers become brothers, bound by shared hardship. Yet when one falls in battle, that bond is shattered, leaving survivors to carry both gratitude and grief.

Veterans rejoining civilian life enrich our economy and communities in countless ways—bringing discipline, leadership, and an unwavering work ethic. But they also carry unseen scars. Memorial Day is not only a tribute to those who died; it’s a moment to acknowledge the profound impact of loss on those who came home. The silent struggles with survivor’s guilt, PTSD, and the memory of comrades-in-arms lost too young remind us that remembrance is not a one-day affair but a lasting commitment.

From the Cockpit to the Corner Office

Rich often reflects on his years in the Air Force as the crucible that shaped his character. Flying missions at dawn, trusting flight crews he barely knew, and facing dangers he never anticipated—all underpinned by a belief in something larger than himself. Those lessons in teamwork, accountability, and resilience would later guide him as he founded our firm. Yet it is the absence of those who did not return that he honors most on Memorial Day.

Beyond the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend

Let us use this Memorial Day to step outside the routine celebrations and reflect on the true cost of our liberties. Take a moment of silence at 3:00 p.m. local time—the National Moment of Remembrance—to think of brothers and sisters who will never return our salute. Share their names and stories with a veteran you know. Write a letter of thanks to a Gold Star family. If you see a veteran in your community, offer your gratitude directly—and listen if they choose to share.

Thank you.

For your service.

For your sacrifice.

We will never forget.