Absent Companions! (raises his glass).

Although I am a Marine, I honor all of my comrades from all our nations and services. We all signed that blank check payable to "defense of freedom" in any amount up to and including our lives.
My parents had an interesting experience in going to an US Air Force band concert recently. The band leader said they were going to play the anthems of all the US armed forces branches, and if you had a connection to the one being played, please stand. They played for the Army -they stood, my uncle was Army in WW2. They played for the Navy - they stood, my Dad was Navy in WW2. They played for the Air Force - they stood, my son was Air Force. They played for the Corps - they stood, I'm a Marine. They played for the Coast Guard - they stood, my son-in-law was a Coastie. We have always had a tradition of service in our family (my Grandpa was in the British Army in WW1) but we had never realized that we covered all the bases!