“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”
—Laurence Binyon

On Hallowed Ground

At the Pearl Harbor Memorial, Trailmen from Hawaii stood in solemn silence. These boys—Navigators from Trail Life Troop HI-1926—stood on hallowed ground, where more than a thousand American sailors still lie entombed within the wreckage of the USS Arizona. They raised the National Ensign over the site during the National Anthem. Later, they folded the flag with quiet reverence.

They earned their My Flag badge that day—but they left with more than a badge. They left with a challenge. Having honored the courage and sacrifice of these fallen heroes, each boy was left to consider: Do I have what it takes to answer the call in my time?

The Legacy of the Greatest Generation

More than eight decades ago, the men aboard the Arizona gave their lives in a surprise attack that changed the course of history. Many were only a few years older than the Trailmen who honored them. But their legacy endures—etched into the steel of the ship below, and into the hearts of a new generation learning what it means to live with courage, conviction, and sacrificial love.

We call the men who died here—and the millions more who answered the call in the years that followed—the Greatest Generation. They earned that title not by seeking it, but by living lives marked by grit, grace, duty, and honor. These were men forged in hardship—men who stormed beaches, rationed food, outlasted winters, and came home to rebuild a shattered world.

A World Crying Out for Courage

Today, as we face storms of our own—wars raging across the globe, the devaluation of life through abortion and trafficking, a widening moral divide, the collapse of cultural memory, growing government overreach, and the accelerating march of artificial intelligence—we find ourselves in desperate need of a new generation with that same kind of resolve.

More Than a History Lesson

That’s why it matters that Trailmen are visiting these memorials.

Earlier this year, a group of Trailmen climbed into stacked bunks aboard the USS Yorktown near Charleston—three or four high—and drifted off to sleep to the sounds of the harbor. For many, the highlight wasn’t the ship, but the sailors they met—real Navy veterans who had lived the stories others only read about.

Their tales weren’t just about battles. They were about courage, sacrifice, and honor. They reminded the boys that duty to God comes first—and that following Him gives strength for every other responsibility a man must carry.

From Gravesites to Gratitude

And this connection to legacy doesn’t only happen on distant shores.

Another Troop spent time in a veterans cemetery, identifying gravestones and praying for the families. That quiet morning helped the boys understand the weight of the sacrifice—and what it means to honor those who gave everything for our freedom.

Later, as they handed out flags to veterans lining the streets of a Fourth of July parade, the boys spoke with men who had served in Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Many Trailmen were overwhelmed with emotion. They realized that with freedom comes responsibility—and that to live in the land of the free is a gift worth guarding with gratitude.

Catching a Vision of Courage

These encounters leave a mark. Because when a boy sees what real courage looks like, it changes him. When he sees what it means to live for something bigger than himself, it casts a vision for who he can become.

That’s why Trailmen are lacing up boots, hiking trails, building fires, and sleeping under stars. Because you can’t download grit. You can’t lecture a boy into manhood. But you can train him—through mentorship, challenge, and real experience.

Manhood Is Built in the Wild

They’re navigating snowy mountain passes by map and compass, cooking over fires, pressing on when the trail gets steep. Along the way, they’re practicing servant leadership, leading devotionals, fixing what’s broken, and carrying more than just their own weight.

They’re becoming young men who rise when others shrink back. Men who live for something greater than themselves.

Because the next generation of godly men won’t appear by accident. They’ll rise because someone believed in them enough to invite them onto the hard road—the road of discipline, courage, sacrifice, and faith.

Passing the Torch

This Memorial Day, as we remember those who gave everything, let’s also invest in the boys who will carry the torch next. Trailmen are walking in the footsteps of greatness—and by God’s grace, they are being shaped into a generation ready to stand.

A new great generation begins with a boy who sees something worth living for—and is trained never to back down.

I believe in this generation. I believe that with God’s help, they’ll be ready for the storms ahead.

So join us. Walk with them. Pray for them. Train them.
And watch what God does through boys who are learning to walk worthy.

Find a Troop near you or Learn how to bring Trail Life to your community at TrailLifeUSA.com