i climbed my hill this morning just before eight o’clock. The day thus far was a seaport gray. i felt it was appropriate for this day designated to honor those who had died in defense and support of our country, our constitution. It felt somber:

The top of the hill also was an appropriate place to take time to honor those with whom i served and the others that had passed on due to their military service.

You aren’t likely to be able to see them, but on the coast to the left of Point Loma at the edge of our land, moored along the coast are the ships of the Pacific Fleet, i barely could make them out, but they are there. Appropriate.

i saluted the Ensign as it hung two-blocked on the flagstaff. i paused in the silence, and looked at the vista of homes of the affluent, nearly all with pools in their backyard and wondered if the occupants were also thanking the men and women who had defended their right to live as comfortably as they lived and if they understood what a wonderful government we have because it is governed by the constitution and should not be violated, in law, regulation, or spirit, the document those brave people had given their lives to defend.

At 8:00 a.m. exactly, i lowered the flag to half mast according to the tradition in U.S. Flag regulations. i stood back at saluted. i wore a ball cap worn on my last ship, the USS Yosemite. Although i was not in uniform, i used the cap as my reason for leaving the cap in place and saluting as i had innumerable times while in the Navy (instead of taking it off, holding it in my left hand and placing my hand over my hard, a civilian salute also accoring the the Flag regulations).

i stood in silence remembering military friends i have lost and all of the others with great affection. i especially thought of Commander Al Pavich and Major Marty Linville. They were two of my closest friends while i was in the Navy. Both passed over that bridge too soon, Al in 2022 and Marty in 2024, because what they suffered during Vietnam service.

i descended the hill. i will return at noon to two-block the Ensign, again according to U.S. Flag regulations.

As i descended the hill, i thought about how In the last week or so, my email and social media have been inundated with folks trying to use the day for honoring our lost military members to hawk their goods and services. “Sales” they call it. Sad i call it. i hoped they, at least for a moment today, honoring those folks who gave their lives for them. i hope all of us do.

This is a great country because of the constitution those folks defended. i hope we have the sense not to violate that constitution and the military members that defended it. We owe that to those we honor today.