Today was a terrible day for members of three of our nation’s armed forces.

First, a member of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds crashed moments after taking part in a graduation ceremony flyover at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

The pilot managed to eject from the F-16 before it crash landed; happily, the pilot is OK. He managed a brief meeting later with President Obama, who was among those attending the ceremony; the president had given the commencement address.

Then it got much worse.

A U.S. Navy Blue Angels FA-18 jet crashed on a training mission in Tennessee. That pilot died in the crash.

And then …

Three U.S. Army soldiers died when their truck got caught up in floodwaters near Fort Hood, Texas. Six more soldiers are missing in that tragic event.

I mention this to call attention to the sacrifice that can occur even when our young men and women aren’t thrust into combat.

Our hearts break for the families of those who were lost today. I hope they know their nation grieves for them.