HARRISBURG, Pa. – Military service members are known for stepping up and giving back, but it was the communities they support who returned the gratitude during Armed Forces Day at City Island, May 19.
Cindi Bishop, an Armed Forces Day organizer, said a veteran approached her and expressed his appreciation for the event and public support—something service members do not take for granted.
“Being a Vietnam veteran, he said it was one of the few times that he actually wears his vet hat,” said Bishop. “He told me that he doesn’t generally wear his hat out because people don’t understand it and don’t know what the meaning of it is, but here, we understand.”
Bishop, a Mount Holly, Pa., native and member of the Armed Forces Day Committee, helped plan the event for the past seven years. This year, the five months of planning paid off, as nearly 10,000 people gathered on City Island to honor veterans and those currently serving in the future military.
The Pennsylvania National Guard, Defense Logistics Agency and Naval Support Activity take turns sponsoring the event, held annually on Harrisburg’s City Island for the last 11 years.
This year, National Guard and the city of Harrisburg co-hosted the event to foster a better military-community bond.
Several Pennsylvania National Guard units participated in the event, including maintenance teams, cavalry units and field artillery batteries. The 109th Field Artillery Regiment, based in Plymouth, Pa., showcased their 105 mm howitzers during the 21-gun salute.
Following the salute, the day’s keynote speaker, Brig. Gen. Daniel R. Ammerman, deputy commanding general, 99th Regional Support Command of the Army Reserve, spoke to the community about the importance of their support to service members.
“We must never forget that the strength of our nation is our military; that the strength of our military is our service members, and the strength of our service members is our families, and the strength of our families is the support that we get from our community,” said Ammerman.
Holly Hurley and Georgia Rackley, both family members of Soldiers, chose to show their support by running in the Armed Forces 5K race, the first event during Armed Forces Day.
Hurley, from Selinsgrove, Pa., ran in honor of her husband, Sgt. Chad Hurley, an Army Reserve military policeman with the 367th Military Police Company based in Horsham, Pa. Sgt. Hurley is serving in Afghanistan and called to congratulate his wife after the race.
“Every time I started to slow down, I kept thinking he’s doing so much more than I am, and I am so excited to be running this race to represent him and his unit,” said Hurley.
Rackley ran in support of Hope for the Heroes—a nonprofit group that provides support for wounded warriors—and for her son, 1st Lt. Nick Rackley, an active duty forward observer for the 2nd Brigade, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky.
“My son was wounded, and he had a close call. He was in a grenade blast and I really realized that he is offering his life up for a greater good,” said Rackley, who added that she regards all service members as family.
The importance of the relationship between the community and the military was not lost during planning for the event, which included 90 participant groups made up of Veterans of Foreign Wars chapters, Veterans Affairs and Family Readiness Groups, as well as military exhibitions.
“It’s very important to the community, for the people, to see what it is the military does,” said Bishop. “Instead of ‘Extreme Home Makeover’, they make over City Island to be a military installation for a day.”
Organizers “made over” the island by featuring several helicopters, fighting, maintenance and medical vehicles and various military challenges.
The Army National Guard, Reserve and active duty components attended as well as active and reserve components from the Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard. Several “walking re-enactors” represented various wars the military has been a part of, including the Revolutionary War and Vietnam war.
Along with interacting with service members, both current and past, community members could also compete in an obstacle course.
Sgt. 1st Class Mayda Velez, senior non-commissioned officer for the 412th Engineer Command, 358th Engineer Company of the Army Reserve, helped create the course, which took participants an average of three minutes to complete.
“It’s tough for a kid…I’m 50 and its tough for me! I think kids will love it. I love it and it reminded me of basic training,” said Velez, a Kissimmee, Fla., native.
Many of Armed Forces Day’s activities are the culmination of a combined effort, between both the military, the community and various branches of service. To create the obstacle course, for instance, Velez’s unit and active duty parachute riggers teamed together to create a challenging course.
Obstacle course participants did not forget friendly rivalries, as teams from the Civil Air Patrol and the Young Marines each competed for the best time on the course.
“I think everyone did a great job, and it was a great effort and opportunity of all the organizations and services to come together and share our knowledge,” Velez said.
It is important to share information and show what the military does, said Staff Sgt. George Sullenberger, a senior wheeled-vehicle mechanic with 28th Infantry Division of the PA Army National Guard.
Sullenberger and his unit acted as subject matter experts on the armored humvee and other military vehicles. Throughout the day, they fielded questions from adults and children regarding the equipment.
“Most of the kids that come [are] just interested in seeing it, getting in it and touching it,” said Sullenberger, a Shermans Dale, Pa., native, referring to the Humvees as the favorite vehicles for kids to see.
For the older veterans, however, the day offered a chance to reflect and remember, Bishop noted.
“I think for a lot of vets it’s a kind of nostalgia for them,” she said. “They see all the young soldiers, sailors and Marines and they remember; they want to remember.”
| Date Taken: |
05.19.2012 |
| Date Posted: |
05.20.2012 18:31 |
| Story ID: |
88705 |
| Location: |
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Hometown: |
KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA, US |
| Hometown: |
MOUNT HOLLY SPRINGS, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Hometown: |
SELINSGROVE, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Hometown: |
SHERMANS DALE, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: |
415 |
| Downloads: |
1 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, Community shows support to troops at Armed Forces Day, by SGT Amber Fluck and MSG Matthew Keeler, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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