Photo By Sgt. Aura Conejos | Col. Charles J. Masaracchia, commander of 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored...... read more read more
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EL PASO, Texas - The flags of our nation’s states whipped in the forceful winds.
The greatest flag of all stretched through the hands of 50, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division Soldiers’ hands. Grasping to the edges, they marched up the hill, calling cadence proudly on Veterans Day morning, Nov. 11.
The Northeast El Paso Veterans Day parade, sponsored by the local Flags Across America organization, began at the YWCA on Stahala Street and finished at the Old Glory Memorial, El Paso, Texas, for the finishing ceremony.
Soldiers and members of the community work as one, hooking and slowly raising Old Glory to half-staff to honor those have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Local Girl and Boy Scout troops held tight to their poles, fighting the wind but never allowing one to fall as they marched to their state’s position around the memorial.
Col. Charles J. Masaracchia, commander of 2/1, Fort Bliss, was a guest speaker on behalf of the 1st Armored Division during the ceremony.
A veteran himself, with 24 years of service, Masaracchia discussed the breadth of our nation’s wars and the diversity among those who fought for our freedoms.
“Whenever our freedoms have come under assault, we have responded with strength, purpose, and resolve,” said Masaracchia. “Each of our veterans along with their families has sacrificed to preserve that sacred pact between warrior and our society that all of us hold dear.”
“Without the support of our society, the military would not be what it is today,” Masaracchia added, highlighting the importance of engaging and continuously integrating military and civilian communities.
The parade and ceremony in celebration of Veterans Day is one of many ways the local community has been involved in the lives of veterans, as well as active-duty members aboard Fort Bliss.
El Paso’s support has been recognized and was recently designated as the number one city in the state of Texas for veterans to live and seventh in the nation.
Carl L. Robinson, District 4 Representative for the city of El Paso and speaker during the ceremony served in the Vietnam War and with the Army for 25 years.
“It’s an honor to serve this country,” said Robinson. “This is the greatest nation in the world and I will continue to serve by extending my service to help those veterans that need help, it’s a great feeling.”
Robinson said learning about the history of our veterans and their sacrifice is the best way for others to understand the importance of this day.
“We honor the dead by serving the living,” Robinson concluded.
| Date Taken: | 11.11.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.17.2015 15:32 |
| Story ID: | 182176 |
| Location: | EL PASO, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 171 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Honoring our past and present on Veterans Day, by SGT Aura Conejos, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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