STAFFORD, Va. – Stafford County residents gathered at the Armed Services Memorial on Friday, May 23, 2025, for the county’s annual Memorial Day Ceremony, a time to honor and remember those who gave their lives in service to the nation.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Deuntay Diggs opened the ceremony by thanking those in attendance and inviting veterans and their families to stand. “We welcome you and thank you for coming today to help us honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom,” said Diggs. “We do this because it is our solemn sacred duty, but more than that, we do it to ensure their sacrifice was not in vain”.
Pastor Chris Brown delivered the invocation, praying:
“Heavenly Father, as our nation pauses today to remember the men and women of our military who have sacrificed their lives so that we could experience the freedom we enjoy as citizens of the greatest nation in the world, we dedicate this service to them… Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction if it’s not fought for, if it’s not protected, if it’s not passed down to future generations”.
The U.S. Army’s Third Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, presented the colors during the ceremony.
Retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Lester Evans, president of Rolling Thunder, Inc., VA Chapter 3, gave the keynote address. “You’ve heard it already, and you’re going to hear it again and again, that we don’t forget,” Evans said.
“I think it’s important for you all to hear real quickly our mission statement… The major function of Rolling Thunder Incorporated is to publicize the POW-MIA issue, to educate the public that many American prisoners of war were left behind after all previous wars, and to help correct the past and to protect future veterans from being left behind should they become prisoners of war or missing in action”.
He also paid tribute to Rolling Thunder’s founding executive director, Arnie Miller, who passed away in April, and shared emotional testimonies from other members about why they joined the organization. “I joined Rolling Thunder to honor the silent battles many veterans face long after combat ends, especially those struggling with PTSD, having lost more friends to these invisible wounds than to the war itself,” one member wrote.
Evans concluded: “We must be louder. We must be bolder in remembrance.”
In closing, Diggs reflected, “Though our ceremony ends, remember our duty does not. Let us leave here not only with solemn hearts, but with a renewed commitment to uphold the values these brave men and women died defending—liberty, unity, and service to others”.
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