January 12, 2017 –
Service members celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., January 12, 2016 at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, with an observance for a national day of service.
The theme for the event, A Day On, Not A Day Off, is used to empower individuals to “strengthen their communities and create solutions to social problems.”
The observance included the singing of the national anthem, a poem recital, an a cappella quartet and key note speakers.
The speakers highlighted three points as the center for the observance: remember, celebrate and act.
“We look at the remembrance and then we take a pause,” said Lt. Col. Martin Kendrick, the Area Support Group-Kuwait command chaplain. “We continue in those changes.”
Kendrick also reiterated the need to remember the past, the sacrifices that were made and maintain the successes of Dr. King and the Civil Rights movement in order to avoid repeating those negative actions in the future.
Maj. Keva Brown, the narrator for the event and a medical logistics officer for U.S. Army Central, said as service members remember, they also celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King.
“Let us learn to truly walk together not just in defense of the constitution of the United States but because of it,” Brown said.
At the conclusion of the event, Kendrick encouraged those present not only to remember and celebrate, but to act.
“The selfless service concept is not to think on ourselves,” said Kendrick, “but thinking about others. How can we uplift and support those that may be in need. Those that have the willingness but not the means. We continue to work and to provide for efforts that sometimes may not have the support or the means to make things happen.”