--- title: "Army veteran and Fox News Media’s Pete Hegseth reflects on Memorial Day" description: "“Remember and then celebrate the lives we were gifted.”" date: "2021-05-27" modified: "2021-05-28" authors: - name: "Jessica Manfre" job_title: "Coast Guard Spouse, Contributor" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/jessicamanfre/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/featured/pete-hegseth-reflects-on-memorial-day/" categories: - "Entertainment" - "History" - "Movies and TV" tags: - "Army" - "Entertainment" - "Television" --- # Army veteran and Fox News Media’s Pete Hegseth reflects on Memorial Day ![Pete Hegseth then and now]() *Pete Hegseth during his time in the military (left) and as a host on the Fox News Channel. (Courtesy photos)* [United States Army]() veteran and “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-anchor Pete Hegseth will host two new programs for “Proud American.” This will be the network’s eighth consecutive [Memorial Day]() event. Memorial Day really hits home for Hegseth. **Also Read:** [Vietnam vet Bill Roedy left the Army for cable TV—and helped win the Cold War]() “Those of us that are really close to it… I mean, it’s on my wrist, it’s on my mind. It’s always part of why we do what we do—because we’ve seen firsthand that sacrifice, and we want to make sure we follow through on it,” Hegseth said. This thought process is visibly present in the programming that Fox created for the holiday weekend. One of the shows Hegseth is most proud of for this weekend’s lineup is “Modern Warriors: Reflections.” He has hosted the “Modern Warriors” series for a few years and even [wrote a book]() with the same name, highlighting many of the veterans stories from the show. “Just sitting down with combat vets over a beer and in a comfortable setting, telling the real story,” Hegseth said. “Unvarnished, like, ‘Talk to me like it is.’ Three- and four-minute segments on the news show don’t do justice to a lot of the topics we end up talking about.” ### “It’s All About Remembrance” https://youtu.be/zpGuDYcM7r8 “Modern Warriors: Reflections” focuses on the day and what it really means for veterans and how the country should approach it as well, he said. “Ultimately it’s all about remembrance. Each guy shares someone they are thinking of and how they honor Memorial Day,” Hegseth said. He said viewers can catch the Fox News version of the show or go on Fox Nation and get the longer director’s cut. Inevitably, there will be those in the American public who will thank military members and veterans for their service on Memorial Day. Educating those individuals and recognizing what the day entails is a vital message Hegseth hopes to get across. “It is not about the veterans here; it’s about the folks who never came home and remembering their ultimate sacrifice," Hegseth said. "My message to people this Memorial Day and every day is to stop for a moment and think about whether you are living worthy of that maximum sacrifice. Are you following through for those who gave everything, or are we taking it for granted and letting it slip away?” Hegseth was direct about his own experiences in combat. “As a vet myself and with your community, I say it all the time myself that I was one bullet, RPG, IED—and really in my instance, it was an RPG that didn’t explode—from being thanked on Veterans Day rather than being memorialized on [Memorial Day](),” Hegseth said. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t gather together, he said. “No. 1, drive home the consequence of the day,” Hegseth said. “No. 2, throw a big ol’ party. Drink some beers and hang out with the people you love. The people who aren’t here would want us to do both. Remember and *then* celebrate the lives we were gifted.” ### The Heroes of 9/11 The 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001, is approaching quickly. Fox wanted those heroes to be talked about as well, Hegseth said. “I was joined by about 50 NYPD, FYNY, Port Authority and New Jersey city fire and police officers. I know Memorial Day is about military service and sacrifice, but these days supporting those who serve is a 24/7, 365-day thing and Tunnel to Towers does that every day,” he explained. Those terrorist attacks on America rippled across the world and began the two-decade-long [Global War on Terror](). The [Tunnel to Towers Foundation]() supports those impacted by those events, as well as military veterans and Gold Star families. Hegseth spent time with the foundation’s chairman and CEO, Frank Siller, who lost his brother in the attacks. He said there will be a few familiar faces on the special, too. One is mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, a big supporter of the foundation. ### Supporting Military Charities ![Tunnel to Towers run]() *Marines with 6th Communications Battalion participate in the Tunnel to Towers run in New York, September 29, 2014. (U.S. Marine Corps/Capt. Timothy Irish)* In honor of Memorial Day, Fox News Media gave $25,000 to the [Navy SEAL Foundation](). It also donated $15,000 to the [USO](), so it can continue supporting military members deployed for COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Fox News Media also pledged to give a yearlong streaming subscription to Fox Nation free to military members and veterans. “I am really proud of Fox Nation and Fox for doing this one year free for vets and the military…,” Hegseth said. “The vets and military that utilize it are going to love what they’re going to find there. It’s a platform committed to vets, our country, patriotism, to faith, the military and history, just things you won’t find elsewhere.” You can see the full lineup of shows for Memorial Day by clicking [here](). If you are a military member or veteran, you can grab your free year’s subscription to Fox Nation [here](). ### Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty ##### **• [Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient Bruce ‘Snake’ Crandall dies at 93]()** ##### **• [An Afghan SOF veteran explores America and the universal bonds of special operators in ‘Noori’]()** ##### **• [‘Jimmy’ trailer: The Oscars, World War II, and a wonderful life]()** ## Author Jessica is a clinical social worker, writer, and military advocate whose work for We Are The Mighty focuses on the lived realities of military service, especially the moments that come after the uniform comes off. Her writing centers on veterans, military spouses, and families navigating transition, identity, resilience, and healing, often blending clinical insight with deeply human storytelling. She covers leadership, service, community impact, and the cultural shifts shaping today’s military-connected population, frequently drawing from interviews with senior military leaders, influencers, and grassroots voices across the space. Beyond writing, Jessica serves as Director of MilSpouseFest and works as a Military Events Manager, leading national campaigns and large-scale events that bring military communities together. She is the author of Never Alone (Moody Publishers) and is currently developing her next book, After the Battle. When she’s not writing or advocating, Jessica can usually be found with a good cup of coffee in hand, tackling her ever-growing TBR, hiking with her dog, or spending quality time with her family. She is a proud military spouse of an active-duty U.S. Coast Guard member and draws inspiration from the resilience, humor, and heart of military life every day. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]()