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May 31, 2010
Broadway's memorial war provides solemn setting for annual service
Alexa Milan
Sanford Herald
Despite balmy temperatures, about 100 people gathered at the North Carolina Veterans Memorial on Monday to honor local veterans and fallen soldiers.
"Even though it's hot in the sun, I promise in Afghanistan or Iraq it's a heck of a lot hotter," said Congressman Bob Etheridge, the keynote speaker for this year's event.
Etheridge spoke to the crowd about the importance of caring for veterans and their families.
"I'd like to remind folks that whether you've served in active duty or not, if you're a family member, you have served," Etheridge said.
Monday's ceremony was a time for local veterans to reflect on their experiences.
James Wright, veterans liaison for the memorial and a member of Disabled American Veterans, said it means the world to him that veterans and civilians alike came to show their support.
Wright said in his experience after the Vietnam War, veterans were "more or less spit at" upon their return home, but now he sees veterans treated with respect.
"It means that the people appreciate the veterans, and we appreciate them," Wright said.
Members of the Marine Corps League of Sanford were also present at the ceremony. Jacques Miller, who served in the Marines for 28 years, said for him, Memorial Day is about remembering the fallen soldiers he served with in Vietnam.
"I lost a lot of friends," Miller said. "Many of them are on the (Vietnam Memorial) wall in Washington."
In his speech, Etheridge, one of the few veterans currently serving in Congress, discussed the tough times many soldiers face when they return home, and he was met with applause as he shared a 2010 Budget Resolution he co-authored to make veterans a top priority.
The resolution, he said, seeks to improve health care for more than 5 million veterans by providing increased access to doctors and nurses. It also includes expanded mental health treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and traumatic brain injury.
"When they return home, we will never leave a veteran behind," Etheridge said.
He said his primary goal is to provide for veterans in rural regions because so many veterans come from those areas.
"That's why you see this great memorial here in North Carolina," Etheridge said.
He also emphasized the importance of recognizing current veterans and remembering soldiers whose lives were lost in combat.
"Those in uniforms past and present are the defenders of the values that keep us free," Etheridge said.
Following Etheridge's speech, the crowd stood and military personnel saluted as a trumpeter played "Taps." The ceremony concluded with a presentation of red, white and blue floral wreaths.
J.J. Cuff, also of the Marine Corps League of Sanford, said while it's important to recognize veterans, on Memorial Day people should pay tribute to those who lost their lives.
"I think sometimes we lose sight of that," Cuff said. "This is Memorial Day. We've got to remember those people."
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