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GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
MY NAME IS BEN ALANI, POST COMMANDER OF THE JAMES DAILEY POST 200 VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS.
IT GIVES ME GREAT HONOR AND PLEASURE TO HOST THE CELEBRATION OF VETERANS DAY TODAY.
YOU JUST HEARD THE RING OF THE BELL.
I THINK IT'S THE HUNDRED SEVENTH HUNDRED EIGHTH VETERANS DAY.
YOU JUST HEARD THE RING OF THE BELL IN HONOR OF THE SIGNING OF THE ARMISTICE THAT ENDED WORLD WAR I OF THE 11TH HOUR OF THE 11TH DAY OF THE 11TH MONTH IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE KOREAN WAR.
THE DAY WAS RENAMED VETERANS DAY.
A MOMENT TO HONOR AMERICAN VETERANS WHO HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL TO SERVICE IN BOTH WARTIME AND PEACE TIME.
I WELCOME ALL THAT ARE ATTENDING THIS TRIBUTE TO VETERANS OF THE US ARMED SERVICES
WE GATHER IN YOUR PRESENCE WITH GRATITUDE AND HUMILITY ON THIS VETERAN'S DAY, WE PAUSE TO HONOR THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE WORN THE UNIFORM OF OUR NATION, WHO HAVE STOOD WATCH IN TIMES OF DANGER, WHO HAVE BORNE THE BURDENS OF DUTY AND SACRIFICE.
AS WE BEGIN THIS GATHERING, MAY THEIR COURAGE CALL FORTH COURAGE WITHIN US.
MAY THEIR SERVICE REMIND US OF THE RESPONSIBILITY WE SHARE TO SEEK PEACE, PROTECT, FREEDOM, AND CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER.
BLESS THIS MOMENT WITH YOUR PRESENCE THAT OUR WORDS AND REFLECTIONS TODAY MAY BE WORTHY OF THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH.
LET THIS TIME TOGETHER RENEW OUR SENSE OF UNITY AND AWAKEN IN US A SPIRIT OF GRATITUDE, COMPASSION, AND HOPE.
MAY THE PEACE FOR WHICH THEY LONG BE THE PEACE WE STRIVE TO BUILD IN OUR NATION, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND IN EVERY HUMAN HEART AND LET US SAY A AMEN.
UH, MAYOR AMCOS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? SURE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR THANK YOU.
AS I MENTIONED, NOVEMBER 11TH BEGAN AS A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE TO MARK THE END OF WORLD WAR I, WHICH FORMALLY CEASED WITH THE SIGNING OF THE ARMISTICE.
BUT TODAY WE MARK IT AS A DAY OF CELEBRATION WHERE WE RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO'VE WORN THE UNIFORM IN SERVICE TO OUR NATION.
WHILE MEMORIAL DAY IS AN OCCASION TO MOURN OUR HONOR, DEAD VETERANS DAY IS A MOMENT WHERE WE LOOK TO OUR FRIENDS, OUR COLLEAGUES, NEIGHBORS, AND FAMILY AND EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE.
THIS DAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE.
FOR SOME OF US HERE TODAY, THAT MEANT THE WORLDWIDE CONFLICT OF WORLD WAR II OR A LIFETIME OF PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS OR THE TENT STANDOFF OF THE COLD WAR FOR OTHERS IN THE JUNGLES OF VIETNAM OR OF OR IN KOREA, PANAMA OR OTHER CONFLICTS AND PEACETIME MISSIONS IN WHICH WE HAVE ASKED OUR MILITARY TO SERVE.
FOR MY PEERS, IT MEANT TOURS TO IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN AND THE MULTIPLE IN THE ASSOCIATED THEATERS OF GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR.
MANY OF YOU TODAY HAVE BORNE THE BURDEN AND EXPERIENCE THE FATIGUE OF WAGING MORE.
THANK YOU FOR SETTING THE EXAMPLE THAT INSPIRED ME AND MY PEERS TO RAISE OUR HANDS IN VOLUNTARY SERVICE TO OUR GREAT NATION.
THAT SHARED SERVICE IS A BOND AND A COMRADERY THAT HELPS TO DEFINE US.
I'M PROUD OF MY SERVICES AND AIRMEN PROUD OF MY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES THAT I SERVED WITH.
I'M PROUD OF MY COMRADES AT THE VFW IN THE AMERICAN LEGION AND FOR THOSE WHO I'VE NEVER MET AND WHOSE NAMES I DON'T KNOW, BUT WHO ALSO ANSWERED THE CALL TO SERVE.
TODAY IS A DAY FOR RECOGNITION AND FOR OFFERING THANKS, BUT IT'S ALSO A DAY TO REMIND OURSELVES OF THE CHALLENGES THAT FAKE THIS UNIQUE NATION.
ONLY 6% OF AMERICANS ALIVE TODAY HAVE SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES AND THE PERCENTAGE OF YOUNG AMERICANS WHO SERVE IS SHRINKING.
EACH YEAR THERE ARE FEWER OF US.
WE ARE GETTING OLDER AND THE TOLL THAT WAR HAS TAKEN ON US BECOMES MORE OBVIOUS WITH EACH YEAR THAT PASSES.
THANKS TO TIRELESS EFFORT, THERE HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE STRIDES MADE TO EXPAND ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE AND OTHER RESOURCES FOR VETERANS.
WE MUST ALL MAKE DEMANDS OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO MEET
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THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF DISABILITIES FROM CONFLICT IN HIS RADIO ADDRESS TO THE NATION.IN 1983, RONALD REAGAN SAID THAT THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR CARING QUALITY HEALTHCARE FROM A GOVERNMENT THAT IS COMPASSIONATE TO THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO SACRIFICE, CONTINUE TO BE A HARDSHIP.
TAKING CARE OF VETERANS IS NOT JUST ABOUT COMPASSION OR DOING THE MORAL THING.
IT IS CERTAINLY BOTH OF THOSE, BUT IT IS A STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE THAT WE MAKE MILITARY SERVICE IN OUR NATION A VIABLE AND SUCCESSFUL PATH FOR YOUNG AMERICANS.
THEY MUST SEE THAT THERE ARE CITIZENS AND VETERANS ALIKE WHO VALUE THIS AND THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ABANDONED OR USED UP.
YOU HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO BE A PATRIOT AND YOU MAY FIND SOME DAYS THAT YOU STRUGGLE TO FEEL THAT SENSE.
YOUR POLITICAL PARTY MAY LOSE, YOUR POLICIES MAY BE REPEALED, YOUR RIGHTS MAY BE CURTAILED, YOUR FORTUNES MAY STUMBLE.
BUT IF YOU BELIEVE THAT THE PROJECT THAT BEGAN NEARLY 250 YEARS AGO WAS WORTHWHILE AND THAT YOUR LIFE IS BETTER DUE TO YOUR STATUS AS AN AMERICAN, THEN ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS ENDEAVOR TO IMPROVE THIS PROJECT.
IT IS NOT FIDELITY TO THE NATION AS SOME STATIC INDELIBLE THING, BUT A DEVOTION TO MAKE IT BETTER.
MAKE AN EFFORT TO PROMOTE MILITARY SERVICE FOR OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN.
DON'T DERIDE IT AS A DECISION OF LAST RESORT.
MANY OF US JOINED DURING TIMES OF CONFLICT, OUT OF A SENSE OF DUTY OR BECAUSE OUR NUMBER CAME UP, BUT JUST AS MANY SERVED BECAUSE THEY SAW OPPORTUNITY.
OPPORTUNITY TO PATRIOTICALLY SERVE NOT ONLY THE INTERESTS OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT TO LEARN TRADES, STUDY LANGUAGES, PAY FOR COLLEGE, AND BUILD STABLE CAREERS WITH WHICH TO SUPPORT NEW FAMILIES.
SERVICE IS A MEANS TO TRANSCEND THE LIMITS OF OUR CIRCUMSTANCES.
HOWEVER, AND LET ME BEG YOUR FORGIVENESS NOW AS I'VE BECOME OLDER AND I FIND MYSELF SHAKING MY FIST AT THE SKY MORE AND MORE.
A YEAR AGO TODAY I STOOD HERE AND TOLD YOU THAT A NEW GENERATION OF YOUNG AMERICANS MUST KNOW THAT THE MILITARY IS A VALUABLE CAREER OPTION WITH UNLIMITED POTENTIAL.
BUT I HAVE TO CONFESS THAT I FEEL A LITTLE VULNERABLE SAYING THE SAME THING THIS YEAR.
LAST YEAR I TOLD YOU THAT WITH THE SHAME OF SEGREGATION AND DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL CONSIGN TO THE HISTORY BOOKS AND WITH THE RESCISSION OF THE RISK RULE PREVENTING WOMEN FROM CIRCLE OF SERVING EQUALLY, MORE AMERICANS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THIS NATION THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME IN HISTORY THAT THERE ARE THOSE WHO DO NOT AGREE WITH ME AND WHO SEEK TO SHAPE OUR ARMED FORCES DIFFERENTLY.
BUT THE NEEDS OF OUR NATION TO MEET FUTURE, TO MEET FUTURE CONFLICTS HASN'T CHANGED.
IT IS MORE TECHNICAL, MORE COMPLICATED, AND MORE SHADED BY MORAL UNCERTAINTY.
MANY OF MY OWN BELIEFS AND CONVICTIONS HAVE BEEN SHAKEN THIS PAST YEAR, BUT I'M NO LESS CONVINCED OF THIS.
OUR COUNTRY NEEDS US NOT JUST THE SQUARE JAW MADE FOR TIKTOK.
TOUGH MAN, THOUGH WE NEED HIM TOO, BUT THE YOUNG AMERICANS FROM EVERY STATE, TOWN, RESERVATION AND TERRITORY, WE NEED THOSE IMMIGRANTS WHO FOUGHT LIKE HELL TO GET HERE.
WHO WANT A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP? WHO? WHO NEED THE KIDS WHO GREW UP IN APARTMENT HOUSING IN THE BRONX? WE NEED THOSE 12TH GENERATION CHILDREN OF MAYFLOWER SETTLERS.
WE NEED THE KID FROM THE SUBURBS WHO GREW UP IN A SETTING SO FAMILIAR TO US HERE TODAY, THE LESBIAN WHO'S LOOKING TO DEFINE HERSELF INSTEAD OF BEING DEFINED BY OTHERS.
THE CORNMAN WESTERN BOY WHO'S NEVER SEEN THE OCEAN BEFORE.
AND YES, EVEN SENSITIVE JEWISH BOYS FROM NEW YORK LIKE ME.
UNITY AND DIVERSITY ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
THEY SERVE ONE ANOTHER MORE AND MORE.
OUR POLITICAL CLASS ASKS LESS AND LESS OF US.
THE FAMOUS PLEA OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY HAS BEEN INVERTED.
IT IS NO LONGER WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR YOUR FELLOW AMERICANS.
NOW IT'S WHO CAN I HURT FOR YOU TODAY? PUBLIC SERVICE HAS CLASSICALLY BEEN A BULWARK AGAINST THIS TYPE OF THING, BUT FEWER OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE A BACKGROUND IN NATIONAL SERVICE.
LAST YEAR I RECITED TO THIS CROWD STATISTICS ABOUT THE DIMINISHING MILITARY EXPERIENCE AMONG OUR ELECTED ELITE, BUT IT ALMOST SEEMS TRITE NOW AS IF THERE ARE ANY SACRED QUALIFICATIONS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE.
BEYOND THE BASE AND CYNICAL, WE ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
DON'T LET THEM SEND US TO DIE FOR VANITY.
DON'T LET US CHEAT, LET DON'T LET THEM CHEAPEN OUR INSTITUTIONS.
DON'T LET THEM TURN OUR ARMED FORCES INTO A VANITY PROJECT.
DON'T LET THEM IGNORE A CENTURY OF PROGRESS.
DON'T LET THEM CONVINCE YOU THAT THE WORK ISN'T WORTH IT OR THAT YOUR POTENTIAL TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR SHARED NATURAL INTEREST IS SOMEHOW LESS THAN TO THE VETERANS IN THE CROWD TODAY.
TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE SO THAT THEY CAN SEE THE MANY FACES OF SERVICE AND PERHAPS THEY'LL FIND ONE THAT REMINDS THEM OF THEIR OWN.
WE HAVE MANY EXAMPLES OF COURAGE, SACRIFICE, AND SERVICE AND SACRIFICE TO REFLECT UPON TODAY.
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LET US USE THIS OPPORTUNITY NOW AND ON VETERANS DAYS IN THE YEARS TO COME TO CELEBRATE SERVICE TO OUR NATION, TO DEMONSTRATE THE APPRECIATION WE HAVE FOR OUR MILITARY AND TO INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS TO DEDICATE THEMSELVES, AS DID THE MANY WHO CAME BEFORE TODAY.WE GIVE THANKS TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHERE CITIZENS FROM EVERY GENERATION WILLINGLY AND COURAGEOUSLY RAISE THEIR HAND TO STAND THE WATCH FOR ALL THOSE VETERANS HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR SACRIFICE.
I SHARE THE PRIDE YOU FEEL IN BEING ABLE TO COUNT YOURSELVES AMONG THE FRATERNITY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR CHOOSING TO SHARE THIS SPECIAL DAY WITH US AND TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SPECIAL MENTION TODAY OF OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY SERVING BRIAN DUNN, UNITED STATES NAVY, CHRISTOPHER GOLIN, US ARMY, GEORGE MOORE, US NAVY, MICHAEL GARMIN, US NAVY, PETER DILLON, US COAST GUARD, CHRIS MINOT, US MARINE CORPS, SEAN ROTH, US ARMY, MIKE GIBBONS, US MARINE CORPS, NICK LEI, US NAVY.
I SHARE THE PRIDE YOU FEEL IN BEING ABLE TO COUNT YOURSELVES AMONG THAT FRATERNITY.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE MARY NIKKI ARMACOST OF HASTINGS ON HUDSON TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
PLEASE THANK YOU COMMANDER FOR GIVING ME A FEW MOMENTS TO SPEAK AND THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR COMING OUT ON THIS IMPROBABLY SNOWY DAY SO EARLY IN THE YEAR.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OF OUR CITIZENS, WE THANK EACH OF OUR VETERANS PRESENT HERE AND EVERY MAN AND WOMAN BEFORE THEM WHO HAS SERVED IN OUR ARMED FORCES TODAY.
I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE ONE VERY SPECIAL RESIDENT WHO LIVES HERE IN OUR VILLAGE AND WHO EXEMPLIFIES VETERANS DAY FOR ME ALMOST A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
ON NOVEMBER 23RD, 1925, EDWIN PAINTER WAS BORN IN QUEENS, NEW YORK.
HE WAS A TEENAGER WHEN WORLD WAR II STARTED, AND HE, LIKE MANY AMERICANS WATCHED IN HORROR AS EUROPE WAS DEVASTATED BY HITLER'S ARMIES.
HE SAW THE HUMAN SUFFERING AND MASS DEATH, THE DESTRUCTION OF CITIES, THE COLLAPSE OF ECONOMIES, AND THE FORCED DISPLACEMENT OF MILLIONS.
AND IT INSPIRED HIM TO ACTION.
AT THE TENDER AGE OF 17, HE RESOLVED THAT IT WAS HIS DUTY TO SIGN UP FOR THE ARMED FORCES AND DO HIS PART TO COMBAT FASCISM.
BECAUSE HE WAS ONLY 17, HE NEEDED HIS MOTHER'S PERMISSION TO GO TO WAR.
EDWIN ENLISTED ENLISTED IN THE US NAVY AND FROM 1943 TO 1946 SERVED BRAVELY ON THE USS CORPS AS A PHARMACIST'S MATE.
EDWIN AND HIS FAMILY MOVED TO HASTINGS ON HUDSON IN 1975 AND HAS LIVED ON PINECREST PARKWAY EVER SINCE.
SOME OF YOU MIGHT REMEMBER POT PETITE, A POPULAR CHILDREN'S STORE LOCATED ON MAIN STREET, WHICH EDWIN OPERATED WITH HIS WIFE PHYLLIS FOR MANY YEARS.
EDWIN IS A MEMBER OF ADMIRAL FARGATE AMERICAN LEGION POST 1195, AND THE JAMES DAILEY POST NUMBER 200 OF THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS.
EDWIN'S STORY REVEALS THAT YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR SONS, OUR DAUGHTERS, OUR CHILD'S BEST FRIEND IN SCHOOL.
THEY REALLY ARE THE HEROES NEXT DOOR.
THEIR BRAVERY, SERVICE AND SENSE OF DUTY IS PART OF THE ETHOS THAT DEFINES OUR VILLAGE.
SO TODAY ON VETERANS DAY, PLEASE JOIN ME IN SENDING WISHES TO EDWIN ON HIS VERY SPECIAL UPCOMING BIRTHDAY AND ALSO EXTEND YOUR GRATITUDE AND RESPECT TO OUR SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR THE SACRIFICES THEY HAVE EACH MADE.
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SERVED AND FOLLOWING THIS CEREMONY, I INVITE ALL OF YOU TO JOIN US AT WAGNER PARK PARK AT 1145 FOR THE UNVEILING OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WALK MARKER.
EARLIER TODAY, AATH WAS PLACED AT THE FOOT OF SPRING AT THE WORLD WAR I MONUMENT.
WE'D LIKE TO PLACE A WREATH HERE TODAY.
UH, RICHIE PESCI, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME AND PLACE THE WREATH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN HENDRICKS? WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN HIM IN PLACING THE WREATH? WE'D BE HONORED IF YOU WOULD.
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PLEASE RISE NOW FOR THE PLAYING OF TAPS PRESENT.MARK, MARK, CAN I GET A COPY OF THAT? RABBI STEIN, WOULD YOU PLEASE RETURN TO GIVE OF CLOSING BENEDICTION? OH GOD AND GOD OF OUR ANCESTORS.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSINGS YOU HAVE BESTOWED UPON OUR NATION.
OUT OF THE MANY NATIONS OF THE WORLD, OURS HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH SINGULAR OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE HOW PEOPLE'S OF FAITHS AND HERITAGE CAN LIVE SIDE BY SIDE AND ENRICH ONE ANOTHER'S LIVES.
THROUGH FRIENDSHIP AND SHARING OUR UNIQUE TRADITIONS, WE ARE UNITED THIS DAY IN SOLEMN ACT OF GRATITUDE TO THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED IN OUR NATION'S DEFENSE, TO THOSE WHO HAVE RISKED THEIR PERSONAL SAFETY TO SAVE THE LIVES OF OTHERS AND ABOVE ALL, TO THOSE WHO HAVE DIED SERVING THIS COUNTRY, THEIR SACRIFICES ARE FOREVER REMEMBERED BY US AND BY OUR CHILDREN FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
GO OUT TO THOSE SERVING TODAY IN OUR ARMED FORCES AND TO THEIR FAMILIES.
THOSE OF US WHO ARE VETERANS OF PREVIOUS WARS KNOW BEST OF ALL THAT THEY MUST BE FEELING WHAT THEIR SPOUSES AND CHILDREN ARE FEELING, WHAT THEY PRAY FOR.
IN ALL OF OUR MANY FAITHS, WE ARE UNITED IN THIS.
OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH THOSE WHO SERVE OUR COUNTRY.
WE ASK GOD THAT THEY MAY RETURN SPEEDILY AND IN GOOD HEALTH AND SAFETY TO THEIR LOVED ONES.
AND MAY GOD GRANT EACH OF US THE WISDOM TO UPHOLD THE NATIONS OF OUR NATION'S VIRTUES, THAT IT MAY CONTINUE TO SERVE AS A BEACON OF LIBERTY AND HARMONY BETWEEN PEOPLES OF ALL THE WORLD TO SEE AND TO EMULATE, AND LET US SAY A AMEN.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE PROTECTION ENGINE COMPANY ON BOARD WARTON AVENUE FOR ENRICHING OUR SERVICE THIS MORNING WITH THE RINGING OF THE MEMORIAL BELL.
AND THANK YOU TO THE ME, TO THE MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 1195, AND THE AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE.
I'D LIKE TO CONCLUDE OUR CEREMONY NOW AND THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING TODAY.
PLEASE COME INSIDE AND WARM UP.
GET YOUR GET SOME BLOOD BACK IN YOUR FINGERS.