{"id":807788,"date":"2020-05-25T17:18:07","date_gmt":"2020-05-25T23:18:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/?p=383923"},"modified":"2020-05-25T17:18:07","modified_gmt":"2020-05-25T23:18:07","slug":"retired-air-force-general-shares-heartfelt-memorial-day-memories-during-virtual-ceremony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/local-news\/retired-air-force-general-shares-heartfelt-memorial-day-memories-during-virtual-ceremony\/","title":{"rendered":"Retired Air Force general shares heartfelt Memorial Day memories during virtual ceremony"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lt. Gen. Rod Bishop gives keynote speech for Breckenridge Heritage Alliance video event<\/h4>\n
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A single droplet of water falls from a rose resting on tombstone at the Valley Brook Cemetery in Breckenridge on Memorial Day, May 25.<\/strong>
Jason Connolly \/ jconnolly@summitdaily.com<\/em><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

BRECKENRIDGE \u2014 The novel coronavirus pandemic did not stop the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance from hosting an annual Memorial Day commemoration on Monday. More than 120 people tuned into a 49-minute Zoom video conference during which Air Force Lt. Gen. Rod Bishop, a part-time resident of Summit County, gave an emotional keynote speech.<\/p>\n

Wearing his U.S. Military uniform \u2014 a uniform he wore daily for nearly four decades before his retirement in 2008 \u2014 General Bishop spoke for a little over 20 minutes tying together a handful of stories around his core message for the day. Memorial Day is a day to remember those who have died, he said, to remember how terrible war can be, and to teach younger generations the sacrifices of those who have gone before them. But, for General Bishop, it\u2019s also a day for him to reflect on how much history could have been changed if it were not for the men and women who gave their lives for others.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, perhaps, you too are here today for one of these reasons,\u201d General Bishop said. \u201cOr perhaps you\u2019re here in remembrance of all those doctors and nurses, those front-line workers and other health care workers who have died in the last few months so others could live.\u201d<\/p>\n

General Bishop, a former deputy director of Air Force operations at the Pentagon, shared three Europe-based Memorial Day memories from his time serving in several roles, including as vice commander of U.S. operations in Europe where he oversaw all air and space activities in Europe and Africa \u2014 a total of 93 countries. General Bishop said he chose to share these personal stories because it was memories of international citizens celebrating the American holiday that crystallized for him Memorial Day\u2019s importance.<\/p>\n

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