Beneath gray October skies and a brisk autumn wind, community members gathered Sunday at Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial to honor the courage and sacrifice of America’s service members with the dedication of two new statues placed in the Honor Flag Memorial.
The Oct. 26 ceremony, held on the National Day of Deployment, drew veterans, families, and civic leaders to the memorial grounds for a moment of reflection and gratitude. Executive Director Rae Lynn Munoz opened the program by welcoming guests and recognizing board members, construction committee members, and civic and veterans organizations, including the Marine Corps League and the Perryville Air Collegians.
“Today we gather not only to dedicate statues, but to honor all those who have served and continue to serve far from home,” Munoz said. “Deployment means separation— from home, from family, from comfort—yet it reflects deep devotion to country, to service, and to one another.”
Following a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence, Munoz introduced the keynote speaker, Master Gunnery Sergeant Brian Burlingame, USMC (Ret.), whose 30-year Marine Corps career included deployments to Desert Storm, Somalia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Burlingame also served as a drill instructor and later as commandant of the Marine Corps League Detachment 1473 in Poplar Bluff.
“On this National Day of Deployment, it’s an honor and privilege to speak here today,” Burlingame said. “We gather to honor the brave men and women of our armed forces who are currently on deployment, those prepared to deploy, and those who have gone before us.”
Burlingame reminded those gathered that fewer than one percent of Americans ever take the oath to defend the nation, yet those who do “represent the very best of what our nation has to offer.” Their service, he said, “always comes at a cost, so our great nation and its citizens can enjoy and exercise the very freedoms that many take for granted.”
The retired Marine spoke with candor and humor, recalling the birth of his son while he was deployed in 1993. “I received a message: ‘Congratulations, Daddy. Your son, Sean Anthony Burlingame, made an amphibious landing at 0249 on 27 October 1993… weighing six pounds, six ounces, with full gear,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd. “It would be another five months before I held my son for the first time.”
He shared stories that blended pride with poignancy— nights spent in desert tents, days of unrelenting heat, and small comforts that made deployment life bearable. “If you’ve never lived in a fighting hole, a tent, or a 120-square-foot tube for six months to a year in 120-degree weather—or crammed on a ship with 3,400 Marines—you’re missing out,” he joked.
Yet beneath the laughter was a deep respect for those who serve and for the families who wait. “They are the backbone of our military,” Burlingame said. “Their continuous strength, resilience, and adaptability during deployment is the foundation that allows our warriors to stay focused as the tip of the spear.”
He credited his wife, Cindy, for holding their family together during his nine deployments over three decades of service. “Without her being the dynamic wife she was—and still is— there’s no way we would have survived,” he said.
Burlingame also reflected on his experiences with World War II veterans through the Orange County Freedom Committee’s Living History Project, recalling how one veteran once told him, “Our respect comes from trying to fathom the preparation, sacrifice, and family support it takes to do what service members do today— constantly preparing, deploying, transitioning, and doing it all over again.”
Before closing, Burlingame urged those in attendance to find practical ways to support troops and their families, from sending letters or holiday care packages to volunteering with military support groups. “These simple acts are even more critical as our deployed troops and local veterans head into the holiday season,” he said. “We must never forget that freedom is not free. Our troops deserve our very best.”
Munoz thanked Burlingame for his remarks and invited attendees to brave the chilly weather for the statue unveiling. “We’re standing together in honor and remembrance as we dedicate these statues,” she said. “May we continue to carry their stories forward—their strength and their spirit—not only today, but every day.”
The two bronze figures, a male and female service member, now stand on pedestals at the Honor Flag Memorial as permanent tributes to courage and devotion. Inside the memorial’s museum, an expanding photo display continues to grow with new submissions from veterans and families—each image a personal reminder of sacrifice and service.
“Every statue, every story, and every ceremony ensures that our veterans are never forgotten,” Munoz said in closing. “We thank everyone who attended, supported, and continues to stand with us in honoring America’s heroes.”
