I had a great privilege of meeting with a group of students from Abilene Christian University who are a part of a fellowship program that spent the week with us at Central Dallas Ministries. On Thursday, I was explaining to them how our permanent supportive housing program works. It's called Destination Home. When one of the students asked where we get referrals to this program from. I explained that we get some from the Bridge, Dallas' homeless assistance center. Then I said that we also get some referrals from the Veteran's Administration Hospital. Then something struck me and I guess I was musing out loud...

The country, pro-Iraq war and anti-Iraq war, take great pains to say how much we love our troops. And how every American should be proud of them, their sacrifice and that of their families. And they are all absolutely right!

But we have a habit of not treating our veterans well after the wars are over, and it dawned on me...

I've written about Mabel Rawlinson (My Fallen Hero: Fly Girl from Kalamazoo) before. I wrote about how she was one of just 1,857 women selected (out of the more than 25,000 women that applied) to enter pilot training during World War II. Moreover, Mabel was one of only 1,102 phenomenal women who actually passed that rigorous training and received Army Air Corps wings. Through hard work and determination, she earned her rightful place among the elite Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).

When Mabel tragically died while flying her Air Force plane, she became one of the first members of an even smaller and more elite group. Mabel was one of only 38 female pilots that died while serving in WWII. Not only did these brave and talented women face blatant prejudice and receive lower pay, they were also not even given full and rightful military status until 34 years after the war. Our government did not even pay to transport the lifeless bodies of these fallen female patriots back to their home towns for burial. Overt discrimination was ubiquitous in the military then - and persisted for decades afterward. Recognition for the service and sacrifices of the women pilots has been painfully slow in coming, and long overdue.

Now, I bear such wonderful news just in time for Memorial Day! I can now report that this year, 66 long years after Mabel's ultimate sacrifice for her country, she and her fellow WASP will be singled out by our current Congress with the highest honor available to Congress - the Congressional Gold Medal!

Clyde Erwin was my father-in-law. He died in December 1997. He was a veteran. And, like so many others, very much worthy of our remembrance on this day of memory as a nation.

Nothing needs to be said about Nazi Germany, the result of the complete metastatic malignancy that destroyed an entire national community -- economy, values, vision, humanity, soul and all.

Clyde spoke very little about his experiences in World War Two. But he did tell me about December 1944.

As Americans celebrate Memorial Day tomorrow, I ask that we not just spend the day enjoying bbq, a day at the lake, or just a Monday off of work.

Let's take the time to remember not only our own loved ones that have died, but the soldiers in past and present wars. Too often, once the news reports are out, the solider is buried; the rest of the world forgets, with the exception of the family of course. But some 4,000 soldiers have been killed since 2001, and until our great President Obama bring them home, we can only hope that there are no more fatalities. If and when there are, let us not forget.

Another fact: 1 in 3 homeless adults is a Veteran. That is beyond sad, and it is something we must remember. Please, as Memorial Day occurs, let us not just remember to add charcoal to the grill, or place some flowers on our loved one's grave; let us remember our past, present and future.

"It is the Veteran, not the preacher who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Veteran, not the reporter who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Veteran, not the poet who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Veteran, not the campus organizer who has given us the freedom to assemble.
It is the Veteran, not the lawyer who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Veteran, not the politician who has given us the right to vote.
It is the Veteran who salutes the Flag, who serves under the Flag, and whose coffin is draped by the Flag." ~ Author Unknown.

President Truman (who grew up in Independence, MO) assumed leadership of the United States in the waning years of World War II following the death of President F.D. Roosevelt on April 12, 1945. His early presidency was marked by several crucial decisions to bring an end to the war particularly, the use of the Atomic Bomb on Japan. Following the end of WWII he was faced with many issues internationally - the Russian blockade of Berlin, providing aid to both Turkey and Greece against Russian aggression (Truman Doctrine), the economic recovery of Europe following WWII (Marshall Plan), the establishment of the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Korean War and the beginning years of the Cold War. Domestically, Truman faced many challenges with expanding Social Security, creating a full-employment program, a permanent Fair Employment Practices Act, and public housing and slum clearance. These programs came to be known as the Fair Deal. For more information about President Truman, visit the Truman Presidential Library.