Pre-Memorial Day American Flag Placement 2024 at Barrancas National Cemetery

More than 300 Scouts, family members, active duty military men and women, citizens, and Patriot Guard riders gave their time early this morning to insure every grave in our national cemetery had an American Flag waving beside it

Once again this year I was honored and humbled to be invited to give remarks on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners at the pre-Memorial Day Saturday flag placement ceremony at Barrancas National Cemetary aboard NAS Pensacola.  For more than 5 decades the Boy Scouts of America troops all over the nation have gathered together with communities nationwide to place a flag at the graves of fallen veterans before Memorial Day.  Locally, my brother Judge Gary Bergosh and sister-in-law Carissa Bergosh have spearheaded the effort since 2011 to work with the Gulf Coast Council of the Boy Scouts of America to insure every grave site at Barrancas National Cemetery has an American Flag flying in front of it prior to Memorial Day.  

Then, after the holiday, they assist with removing the flags and properly storing them for the following year.

Today, there were more than 300 scouts, scout volunteers, family members, veterans, active duty military men and women, and members of the Patriot Guard giving of their time to make sure the fallen are properly remembered.

Barrancas National Cemetery Director Craig LaChance (center), a US Army Veteran, welcomes the Boy Scouts and other volunteers  to Barrancas National Cemetary Aboard NAS Pensacola for American Flag placement day 5-25-2024

Craig LaChance, Director of Barrancas National Cemetery, welcomed the assembled, somber crowd and urged them to remember the reason for this holiday and the incredible sacrifices the men and women who died in battle have made, allowing us to be a free nation.

"To put the sacrifice in context, we should look no further than the upcoming 80th year anniversary of D-Day in WWII.  On just that one day we lost more than 2,500 military personnel.  Over our 20 years in Afghanistan, we lost about the same number." said Mr. La Chance.

As he gave the invocation, my brother and Circuit Court Judge Gary Bergosh (himself a retired Marine Lt. Col) reinforced the message.  "Remember, these men and women made the ultimate sacrifice to keep this country free.  Freedom is not Free!" he stated.

For my part, I thanked the folks present for giving their day to serve the fallen and to properly honor them.  I further thanked them on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners, Chairman Steven Barry, and the county staff.  I recognized all the men and women present who served in the military, as well as those young men and women scouts who have made the decision to enlist.  Several of them raised there hands and were given a rousing round of applause for their commitment to enlist and serve our nation.  Barrancas is a special place for my family; both my mother and father are buried here--so I always take time when I am here to go and put a flag, proudly, next to Master Chief Bob Bergosh's headstone in the columbarium.  We also have a close family friend, Scotty Rogers, buried at Barrancas.  So--after all the welcome introductions and a prayer--we did what we came to do.

The large group fanned out and within a few short hours every grave had a flag.

Yes, this is a holiday weekend.  Yes, we should all relax and enjoy time with our friends and loved ones.  And YES, we should all recognize this and every holiday we enjoy, indeed every day we enjoy in freedom.  Because being citizens of this---- the greatest coutry the world has ever seen-- is a blessing from God secured by brave men and women who served our nation and paid the ultimate price to secure our liberty and Freedom.  

That is what Memorial Day is about.

Now, go enjoy the beach, barbeque, and beer.