Everyone

should know the cost of freedom, Marine Gen. Raymond G.

Davis said at Peachtree City's annual Memorial Day

Ceremony Monday morning.

"We

all must know that freedom is not free," Davis said.

"We must feel the high cost for being free and we

must remember those who served to protect our

freedom."

Millions of

American soldiers died in the two world wars, and more

than 50,000 troops died in Korea and Vietnam, he reminded

the crowd. Though those soldiers died protecting the

freedom of Americans, people in today's military are

facing different challenges, the general said.

Among those

challenges are cuts in the nation's military budget.

Davis listed nuclear submarines and a host of other cuts

the government has made to lower costs.

Those cuts,

in turn, have put the branches of the U.S. military in a

poor position, as Davis sees it.

"We

now have the most lack of readiness in our military

forces that we have seen in the last 50 years," he

said.

The nation

has been using the reserve forces more often to fill in

for those serving overseas, he added. And the country is

not fulfilling its promises of medical care, job

preferences and education to military enlistees, he said.

Davis also

urged the crowd to learn more about America's war

history.

"Our

challenge is to know our past mistakes and bring America

back to greatness for our children and our

great-grandchildren," Davis said.

He also

challenged every American to "upgrade our

culture."

"We

need to return to integrity, loyalty and faith,"

Davis said.

Those

values were echoed in a poem read by Gary Rossomme about

those who wish to burn, spit on or stomp on the American

flag.

Rossomme

said anyone wishing to desecrate the flag should get

permission first from three people: a war veteran, an

immigrant and the mother of someone who gave his life for

his country.

"Americans

who don't appreciate the flag don't appreciate this

nation," Rossomme said. "Ask those who have

defended our nation so we may be free today."

The choral

group Music First serenaded the crowd with several

patriotic tunes before and during the ceremony. Also, the

top three overall winners in the Memorial Day essay

contest read their entries and received their awards.

Jillian

Profeta, a seventh grader at St. Paul Lutheran School,

won first place and received a $100 savings bond in

addition to a Georgia state flag from Rep. Kathy Cox.

Juliane Rossomme, who is home-schooled, took second while

Thomas Getreu of J.C. Booth Middle School placed third.

Both received $50 savings bonds.

The

ceremony was sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars,

the Peachtree City Kiwanis Club and the city of Peachtree

City.