A Reflection on Memorial Day

This article was guest authored by personal injury attorney and Marine veteran Cory Weck.

Every year, on the last Monday of May, Americans pause to observe Memorial Day. A day that is dedicated to honoring and remembering all U.S. military personnel who gave their lives for our country. While for many it signals the start of summer, for veterans and military families, it is a deeply personal day marked by remembrance, reverence, and reflection. As both a retired Marine Corps Officer and personal injury leader at McCune Law Group, this day holds profound significance for me. In this blog, I want to share what Memorial Day means from the perspective of someone who has served, and how the legacy of those who gave everything continues to shape my life and work today. 

A Marine’s Perspective on Memorial Day

As a retired Marine Corps Officer and now a practicing attorney, Memorial Day has always carried a meaning far deeper to me. For those of us who have worn the uniform, this day is not about celebration:  it is about remembrance. I spent twenty-three years serving in the Marine Corps, both on active duty and in the reserves. I deployed across the globe, trained with the best, and led brave men and women in the field. My identity as a Marine did not end when I hung up my uniform; it lives on in how I practice law, lead my team, and advocate for my clients.

In many ways, the Marine Corps taught me the foundation of how I approach everything, including my legal career. Mission accomplishment, integrity, and service above self are all values that remain ingrained in me. I may not run my staff through morning physical training (PT) or issue orders the way I did as a company commander, but the mindset is the same: serve with excellence, lead with purpose, and never give up on the mission. But Memorial Day is not about those of us who served—that’s why we have Veterans Day. Memorial Day is for the men and women who never made it home. It is for the ones who gave their lives in service to this country, those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that the rest of us can enjoy the freedoms we often take for granted.

A Day for Remembrance

Every year, when Memorial Day comes around, I think back to the names, faces, and stories of those I served alongside. One of those names is Major Mike Weston, who was a good friend and one of the finest Marines I ever had the privilege to know. Mike was unfortunately killed in combat in 2009. He was an outstanding Marine who was intelligent and loyal. Mike Weston’s sacrifice, and the sacrifices of so many like him, are not simply statistics. They were sons, daughters, husbands, wives, and parents. They left behind families, communities, and legacies that deserve to be remembered, not just on Memorial Day, but every day. 

Memorial Day is not a day I look upon fondly. It is a somber reminder of the cost of freedom and the fragility of life. But it is also a day full of meaning. It is a day to be still and reflect, to remember why this holiday exists, and to recognize that behind every flag planted in a national cemetery lies a story of courage, honor, and profound selflessness. Here at McCune Law Group, I bring that same sense of duty into my work representing clients in personal injury law. While the battlefield has changed, the mission mindset remains. We fight for those who need a voice. We do not leave anyone behind. That principle has guided me from my first day in the Corps to every case I handle in the courtroom. 

Honor the Fallen

This Memorial Day, I ask you to join me in honoring the fallen. Speak their names. Reflect on their sacrifice. Recognize that our lives today are built on the bravery of those who no longer walk beside us. I sit here today because of them. And I carry their memory forward, every single day. 

Semper Fidelis.