Joseph Bratcher, Lieutenant for the Monmouth Police Department and First Sargent of the United States Army, Illinois National Guard, was the keynote speaker at the annual Memorial Day Service yesterday at the Monmouth American Legion.
Bratcher, who served in Honduras, Iraq, and Egypt and was awarded the Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service Medal, spoke about the sacrifices of our fallen heroes so we can live free.
Bratcher told the audience that our fallen heroes would want us to be happy this Memorial Day:
“I was in the grocery store and someone came up and wished me ‘Happy Memorial Day,’ and then she said, ‘wait, is it Happy Memorial Day or is it just Memorial Day?’ and I told her no, it’s Happy Memorial Day. The soldiers who sacrifice their lives so we can have freedom want us to be happy, not sad.”
He also gave personal stories of soldiers he served with, tearing up at the memory of his fallen comrades.
As a lieutenant in the Monmouth Police Department, where he has served for 22 years, Bratcher notably trains school staff, students, and local law enforcement on procedural responses to emergencies as well as local citizen outreach programs.
Article written by Matthew Needham
