Honoring Veterans & Active Military For 50 Years on 11 November 2009!
Kiwanis Club of Bethesda and the American Legion Celebration Began in 1959 Honoring U.S. Services
by Bob Cressy, Past Governor, Bethesda, Maryland - A Photo Essay of Public Service
Veteran's Day 2009 was a dreary looking, and feeling, chilly cold, rainy day. It was the kind of weather that just goes through you where some were even shaking and a day when it is over, you go home and change your wet shoes and socks. It's usually not that way at all. Usually it's sunny, clear blue skies and maybe seasonally cool, but a nice fall day.
But days like this help you remember the kinds of weather our veterans and active duty service members experience ... from the rain soaked trenches in France in World War I, to the Battle of the Bulge's 1944 frozen mud, freezing WW II Atlantic Ocean ship convoys, Okinawa's stark heat, Korea's rice paddies to freezing winters, Vietnam's jungles, to Iraq's desert heat and Afghanistan's cold mountains. Not to speak of enemy action occurring simultaneously. Our inconvenience is ... nothing in comparison. And a good sized crowd of dignitaries, organizations, veterans and families were there.
This 11 November 2009 marked the 50th Anniversary of the annual Kiwanis Club of Bethesda and the Fitzgerald Cantrell American Legion Post # 105 combined sponsorship of Veteran's Day. In fact the day marks the 90th year anniversary of the founding of the American Legion in 1919 ... and the day before, the 234th birthday for the Marine Corps!
It was quite a day beginning with a patriotic medley by the Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School brass quintet. Master of Ceremonies Bob Cressy welcomed all and called for a remembrance of the terrorist massacre just six days before at the Army's Fort Hood, Texas, base. Thirteen were killed and twenty nine others wounded. We remembered the heroism of civilian police sergeant Kim Munley who, while wounded as well, faced and shot - took down - the assassin.
The highlights of the program included (please see the photos also):
- Invocation - By The Reverend Doctor William Hague, Bethesda Kiwanis and a veteran.
- Presentation of the Colors - Knights of Columbus, Cardinal O'Boyle Assembly
- Singing of the National Anthem - By Scott Forbes, Montgomery County Fire & Rescue
- Pledge of Allegiance - Bob Waters, Post Commander, American Legion Fitzgerald Cantrell Post #105, Bethesda
- Half staffing of the Flag - Eric Myrland, American Legion Post #105, Past Commander
Introduction of Officials & Program Participants, including Montgomery County Executive, Ike Leggett, a veteran U.S. Army Captain and Bronze Star winner in Vietnam. Other officials represented the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce, B-CC Regional Services Center, the Bethesda Urban Partnership, members of the Montgomery County Council, County Delegates and County Police Commander Russell Hammil, 2nd District.
Recognition of Veterans in Attendance, by Branch of Service, each with their CHEER!
Veteran's Day Key Note Speaker - U.S. Army Colonel Katherine Miller
Colonel Katherine Miller, US Army, Commander of the Army Corrections Command and the United States Army Deputy Provost Marshal General: She is a native of Nevada with a B.A. in Criminal Justice, and an M.S. in Public Administration and a Masters Degree of Strategic Studies form the U.S. Army War College. Her career began as an enlisted soldier in the Military Police Corps, and then she earned an Army OCS commission. During her career she has served in the United States, South American, Europe (Bosnia & Kosovo), Southwest Asia and Afghanistan.
Colonel Miller praised the service of veterans and active duty personnel in hot wars, the cold war and in keeping the peace. In particular she praised them for standing up for America by taking the Oath of Enlistment and pledging their lives and honor to protect our country risking their lives. With that she surprised veterans and active military a bit by asking us to raise our right hands and repeating our Oath. (I think we reenlisted.)
The Oath of Enlistment: "I, (name), do solemnly swear (or reaffirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."
Remarks by Master of Ceremony Bob Cressy - 1LT (Ret.) U.S. Army Artillery
It is customary that the M.C. has an opportunity to make some personal remarks as part of the Veteran's Day program. This year's comments:
"We are at war." So said President Obama Tuesday at the military service for the thirteen killed and twenty nine wounded on Thursday, 8 November 2009. And I say: 'Yes, it's a global war on terrorism'. And the most important U.S. Constitutional responsibilities of the United States Government are our national defense and insuring domestic tranquility. We are at war, war outside our boarders and inside the United States. We have enemies abroad and inside the United States.
It is past time that we all admitted these facts. There are no exemptions for the military from such terrorist attacks from the Fort Hood Army base, to the slaying of the recruit at the Little Rock, Arkansas, recruiting station, to the foiled attack on Fort Dix. The 9-11-2001 attack and its world wide impact on New York City, the Pentagon (also a military base), Pennsylvania and indeed its local impact on the Washington metro area murders in 2002 by sniper John Allen Mohammed all are terrorist attacks.
Today, we again celebrate our veterans and active duty military ... combat veterans and cold warriors alike, veterans of all wars. They are our heroes ... 'Ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary deeds'.
Too many American are and have been complacent about the price of liberty, believing it is their birthright and the birthright of generations to come. They are and have been enjoying the fruits of liberty defended by others, often taking freedom for granted and often knowing little of the obligations needed to maintain that blessing.
Most Americans have never fought for liberty nor had to stand committed to support and defend liberty and, thus, have little concept of its value and little real sense of gratitude for its accumulated costs - a cost paid by generations of Patriots who have pledged 'their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor',
'Freedom', is found defined in those twenty pages of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. Twenty pages. Read them again. Encourage others to read it now. Our Freedom depends on it. May God continue to bless America."
Placing of Floral Tributes
Individuals representing civic, historic and government organizations placed floral wreaths and paid their respects to those serving and who have served, including:
- American Legion Post #105
- American Legion Post #105, Ladies Auxiliary
- Greater Bethesda Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce
- Bethesda Chevy Chase Regional Services Center
- Bethesda Chevy Chase Rotary Club
- Bethesda Urban Partnership
- District of Columbia State Society Colonial Dames of the XVIIth Century
- Daughters of the American Revolution - Bottany Cross Chapter
- Daughters of the American Revolution - Chevy Chase Chapter
- Daughters of the American Revolution - Maryland State Chairman
- Thad Dulan American Legion Post #59
- Kiwanis Club of Bethesda
- Kiwanis Club of Potomac
- Metro Bethesda Rotary Club
- Military Officers Association of America
- Rotary Club of Friendship Heights
TAPS - Performed by Becca Miller, Senior, Bethesda Chevy Chase High School
Moment of Silence - Full Staffing of the Flag (Lowered to half staff again for Ft. Hood Victims
Retire the Colors - Knights of Columbus
Patriotic Medley - BCC High School Brass Quintet
Benediction - The Reverend Doctor William Hague
Thank YOU, and thank a veteran and active duty person for their service to you.
