Photo By Joseph Schmitt | Fleet Activities Yokosuka color guard performs a traditional flag folding during a...... read more read more
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YOKOSUKA, Japan - Fleet Activities (FLEACT), Yokosuka held a Veterans Day ceremony at its headquarters building, Nov. 12. Command staff, military, community members and veterans honored and remembered past and current service members.
Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day, honors the remembrance of Nov. 11, 1918, signing of the armistice between Allied Powers and Germany that ended World War I. A year later, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as a day to remember those who fought and died during World War I. In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower, signed a bill changing its name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day, and recognizing that day as a national holiday to celebrate all veterans from the U.S. military regardless of when or where they served.
The ceremony started a week prior at local Department of Defense Education Activity schools here. Veterans from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1054 visited the schools to educate the students on Veterans Day and shared their personal experiences of service in the military.
“We wanted to talk to the students about what a veteran is and what freedom is and how those two things relate to each other,” said Rick Farris, VFW Post 1054 commander. “They also put on a presentation for us. (Nile C. Kinnick High School) did a really great job, their (Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) cadets did a wonderful Veterans Day ceremony.”
The FLEACT, Yokosuka Veterans Day started with the 7th Fleet Band opening the ceremony by playing the national anthems of the United States and Japan.
Farris and Commander FLEACT, Yokosuka Officer Capt. David Owen gave speeches about veterans and Veterans Day. Farris focused on why the day deserves all the recognition people can give. Owen focused on the lives of veterans. He spoke of his family’s history within the military and finished with an homage to the only sailor who had lost his life under his command, an operations specialist 2nd class petty officer who deployed on an individual augmentee duty from a ship under Owen’s command.
“There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about that petty officer,” said Owen. “So take this weekend, think about the fallen members and think about those who have served before us, and remember we are all here today thanks to the veterans who went before us.”
The ceremony ended with a traditional flag folding ceremony by CFAY’s color guard. The color guard presented the flag to Farris. He held the flag, which had been folded into a triangle, displaying its stars while the 7th Fleet Band played taps.
“This was a great ceremony,” said Farris. “I think it is special, especially here in Yokosuka, an overseas installation, but it is an important ceremony no matter where you are, today everyone should take time to thank a veteran for their service.”
| Date Taken: | 11.12.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 11.16.2012 02:52 |
| Story ID: | 97893 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 42 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, FLEACT, Yokosuka Veterans Day ceremony honors past, present service members, by Joseph Schmitt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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