Never forget that veterans keep us free

Published in the November 15, 2017 edition

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — On Nov. 10, townspeople gathered on the Common to honor America’s veterans during the annual Veterans’ Day ceremony.

Multiple generations attended the ceremony including veterans, local officials, first responders, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Brownies and the middle and high school bands.

Veterans’ Services Officer Bruce Siegel welcomed residents to the ceremony.

“Today, we honor all of our brave men and women who currently serve or have served our great country,” said Siegel. “America’s military men and women risk life and limb every day so we can be free. While we set aside Nov. 11 as a special day to honor and remember our veterans, we should continuously strive to serve our veterans as well as they have served their country.”

Siegel said “a veteran, whether active duty, discharged, retired or reserve, is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to the United States of America for an amount of ‘up to and including his or her life.’”

“That, my friends, is honor,” said Siegel. “Veterans stand up and put themselves in harms way to protect their homeland and everything and everyone living in it. Their duty was to keep us safe, and our duty is to make sure they are safe when they come home. We must never forget our veterans.”

Siegel said “the importance of Veterans’ Day is to honor and celebrate veterans for their patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.”

“Veterans’ Day is a day set aside to thank all of those who served honorably in the military, both in wartime and peacetime,” said Siegel. “In fact, Veterans’ Day is intended to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all of those who served have sacrificed and performed their duty.”

Siegel noted many veterans have continued serving their country and local communities by working as first responders.

“This special group often provides the vital services our community needs to function,” said Siegel.

Siegel encouraged residents to thank veterans for their service, commitment and sacrifice because veterans “have allowed us to have the life that we have.”

“From their extraordinary accomplishments comes our extraordinary debt,” said Siegel. “And for those accomplishments and for their dedication, we must always be grateful.”

After Siegel concluded his remarks, the middle and high school bands performed the National Anthem. Rev. Robert Bacon of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church gave the innovation following the performance of the National Anthem.

State Rep. comments

State Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading) said the town’s Veterans’ Day ceremony “is a reminder of the words inscribed on the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C.”

“Freedom is not free,” said Jones. “Rather, it is a precious commodity that has been paid for a thousand times over by the men and women in uniform who serve our country.”

Jones said “Veterans’ Day is a day that we come together as a community, a commonwealth and a country to pay tribute to those who have worn the uniform in service to the United States.”

“We recognize that all who served gave some and some that served gave all,” said Jones. “In our nation’s history, more than a million Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedom and democracy. This includes the 37,000 fallen soldiers who called Massachusetts home and whose lives are remembered with the planting of flags on Boston Common.”

Jones said military members recognize that “when they go off to war, there is a possibility they may never see their loved ones again.”

“But they do so knowing they are serving a greater cause,” Jones continued. “The men and women we honor today left behind mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, and sons and daughters. While many came home, some did not. Some paid with their lives, some paid with their limbs, some paid with their minds, but all paid something not only so we can be free, but also so our children, our grandchildren and future generations can continue to enjoy these same freedoms.”

While Jones said “it is easy to become complacent at times living in a nation where we enjoy so many freedoms and personal liberties,” he said “we must never forget the brave men and women who, throughout our nation’s history, have answered the call to serve, and in doing so, have helped ensure that we remain the land of the free.”

Selectman’s comments

After Jones concluded his speech, Selectmen Chairman Chris Barrett provided some remarks.

“I’d like to recognize all of the service members and veterans in attendance today,” said Barrett. “Thank you for your courage to answer the call of duty. Thank you for your bravery, hard work and dedication to our country and the eternal cause of liberty.”

Barrett also thanked local veterans’ family members.

“We know the family of any service member bares a significant cross and shares in the sacrifice of their loved ones,” said Barrett. “Your love and support provided our veterans with the rock solid foundation they needed to answer that difficult call of duty.”

From the Battle of Lexington and Concord to the War on Terror, Barrett said, “men and women from this small town of Lynnfield have always been ready to answer the call of duty.” He said Lynnfield’s living and fallen veterans are “heroic Pioneers who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation.”

“Our nation’s capital has many monuments dedicated to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, but we need not look beyond our own town border to honor and acknowledge our beloved dead and our veterans today,” said Barrett.  “Because the story of America started in small towns like our own and to this very day continues to be written with the blood and sacrifice of humble heroes who rose up from the main streets and back roads of New England towns like Lynnfield to take on a cause far greater than their own self-interests.” 

In closing, Barrett reminded the ceremonies attendees only 1 percent of the U.S. population currently serves in the armed forces.

“It’s up to us, the 99 percent, to remember that we are the fortunate ones who live in a country unsurpassed in greatness because of the heroic sacrifice of our beloved veterans,” said Barrett.

Honor guard salute  

After Barrett concluded his remarks, Korean War veteran Dick Weeks led the honor guard with firing three blank shots into the air. The honor guard featured U.S. Army veteran and 82nd Airborne Division member Jack Lukas, American Legion Post 131 Commander and U.S. Army veteran Paul Donato, U.S. Army and Iraq War veteran Sean Roden, U.S. Army and Vietnam War veteran Dan Roden, and Marine Corps. Captain Charles Leach.

Lynnfield High School senior Anthony Wilkinson performed “Taps” in tribute to America’s heroes.