Last May, I trekked three and a half miles through New York City’s streets, lugging a 31-pound backpack. This was my Memorial Day tribute.

The weight on my shoulders symbolized the pain carried by families and loved ones of fallen military members. I carried photos of 30 men who never returned from war. The men and one military working dog were in a Chinook helicopter that was shot down by enemy forces in Wardak province, west of Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 6, 2011. I didn’t know these men personally, but I served in their unit. I served on active duty with the Navy.