Hometown Heroes Celebration held in Dublin to Honor Veterans

The City of Dublin and the Rotary Club of Dublin hosted a luncheon to honor Veterans and recognize the outstanding contributions made by Parks RFTA (Reserve Forces Training Area) soldiers as part of the annual Veterans Day celebration.

Guest speaker for the event was Lt. Colonel, Jennifer Nolan, garrison commander at Camp Parks. Command Sergeant Major Jason B. Johnson introduced the Soldiers and outlined their contributions to the local community.

There have been moving celebrations for Veterans across the globe since this year marks the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War 1 (at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918 – the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month).

Opening remarks were made by Vice Mayor Melissa Hernandez in which she thanked the selfless service of all military personnel in protecting the entire country. “This event is my favorite one of the year as we honor the people who served in our Navy, Marines, Army, Coast Guard, and Air Force. Our military has no race, gender, or party. They are heroes that represent freedom, civil and human rights and democracy. Harry Truman once said that “They have earned our undying gratitude, America will never forget their sacrifice”. Although one day is not enough, today is the one day each year, we stop and reflect on their commitment and sacrifice to all of us in the United States, but also as the symbol of hope that they are to the many worldwide that also benefited from their service,” said Ms Hernandez.

LTC Nolan, addressed those present in a speech outlining what makes the lives of those who serve so remarkable and emphasized fealty, service and sacrifice. LTC Nolan noted that less than 1% of the population choose to serve and of those who do, 78% come from families who have served. She related some experiences of soldiers when deployed in different countries and how they needed to adapt to various cultures and challenging situations. The bond developed by those who serve cannot be broken and spans time, culture, politics and religion and provides an exceptional support network. "We are strong and resilient as a nation and the American Veteran is celebrated throughout their lives for their fealty, civility and commitment to serving our communities and each other" said LTC Nolan.

Military personnel receiving special recognition for their service were SFC Hendricks-Acevedo, SFC Cordova, SFC Garnder, SFC Hurley, SSG Lundy, SSG Rivera and SFC Zuehlsdorf.

“We are fortunate to have Camp Parks as part of our Dublin community and I would like to acknowledge and thank all of our veterans as well as our service men and women from Camp Parks,” said the Vice Mayor.

The Swingin' Blue Stars of the U.S.S. Hornet (Blue Star moms) provided the musical entertainment for the luncheon singing songs from the 40s, 50s and 60s. The singing trio are best known for their vocal renditions of songs of the WWII era and performed well known favorites made famous by the Andrews Sisters like "Roll out the barrel", "The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Mr Sandman".

Coverage of the event will also be screened by Tri-Valley Community Television, TV30.