Memorial Day a time to celebrate and reflect Published May 10, 2012 By Brig. Gen. Robert C. Nolan II Air Force Flight Test Center commander EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- As we approach Memorial Day weekend, I want to thank each of you for your hard work and dedication to our important mission. For most Americans, Memorial Day has become the traditional start of summer, but this special day is much more than that. Memorial Day began after the Civil War as a way to commemorate fallen Union Soldiers. Following World War II, it became a day to remember the men and women from every branch of our armed forces who have died while serving on our behalf. So this Memorial Day, as you celebrate safely with family and friends, I ask that you take a moment to honor the memory of those men and women who have lost their lives defending our freedom. Without their sacrifice, our way of life and everything we hold dear would be very different.