 Honolulu, Hawaii, home to surfers and sunbathers, is a cultural melting pot rich in military history. Oahu invites tourists from around the globe to experience its beauty. This year, Hawaii welcomed a special kind of tourist. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society brought 52 of the 81 Living Medal of Honor recipients here, where they took part in a historical ceremony at Punchbowl National Cemetery. The military heroes dedicated a memorial stone to the fallen Medal of Honor recipients buried at Punchbowl. Because I remember back in the days when every night I didn't think I was going to be able to live through this, then we started talking to one another about it, the Vietnam veterans. And that's when it started getting better, it doesn't go away, it's not supposed to go away. What I have discovered is that you're supposed to remember, and in remembering it, you can put it alongside of you, remove it from in front of you, that's impeding your progress forward, you can move it alongside of you, and you take it with you for the rest of your life. The Medal of Honor recipients also visited with soldiers at Schofield Barracks and shared their stories and experiences. And some people say it's harder to wear the medal than it is to earn it. We have to set the example for all the brave men and women that we served with. We're the caretaker of the medal for all the men and women in the armed forces, particularly the ones that we served with in the battle that we were in. I'm very honored to be a living recipient. It's primarily a posthumous award too, over 60% of the medals are awarded to the family members and not to the soldier or the service members. So I'm very fortunate and very lucky to be among the living recipients. We can still do that, and we can change right now. It's up to us to make that. The week-long event was not all pomp and circumstance. Gary Sinise and the Lieutenant Dan Band entertained at an American Heroes event in Waikiki, giving the general public the special opportunity to meet and interact with Medal of Honor recipients, while enjoying the music and fellowship. A final celebration of the recipient's heroism concluded at the USS Missouri Pearl Harbor. I try to do when I play these concerts, I try to deliver a message and ask all those who have served or who are currently serving the United States of America to please stand up and let us thank you for what you do for our great country. We could never have paid for that. The few who have earned the Medal of Honor serve as a living reminder of American values and the importance of taking time to pause, reflect, and truly honor those who sacrificed so much for our nation. Fort Chapter Hawaii, Staff Sergeant Robert Hamm.