Veterans Day 2020
Good morning, I am Kevin Bohmiller, I’m privileged to be the Veterans Service Officer for the Town of Reading. I welcome you to our virtual, 2020 Veterans Day Ceremony. Honor Guard – Post the Colors.
Happy 245th Birthday to the United States Marines!
I missed seeing everyone at our annual Veterans Day Breakfast, which we usually hold before this ceremony each year. This breakfast will be one more thing to look forward to in 2021!! On this Veterans Day, we mark the 102nd Anniversary of the end of WWI. This was the beginning of what has become our Veterans Day. A day to celebrate, honor, and thank America’s Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coastguard, and Merchant sailors who have all bravely answered the call to defend our freedom.
Like everything else in 2020, this part of the ceremony is different. I usually have several Veterans sitting with us that I recognize as “Heroes’ in our Neighborhood.” This year is like no other, so I’m going to change things up a bit. I would like to recognize a Veteran that is buried behind me in Laurel Hill Cemetery.
A 38-year-old slave named Sharper Freeman was one of roughly 5,000 African Americans who served during the American Revolutionary War. He first enlisted as a soldier in the Continental Army from Stoneham in 1780 and served in western Massachusetts and New Jersey. In April of 1782, Sharper enlisted again and served with the 7th Massachusetts Regiment in various locations along the Hudson River. Earning his freedom, he then bought land in Reading, which he farmed. The gravestone in Laurel Hill Cemetery recalls his life. “Kidnapped in Africa when about 16 years of age and enslaved. He was a soldier in our army of the Revolution for which he received his freedom and a pension.” We thank Sharper for his sacrifices, his service, and fighting for our freedom in addition to his own.
There are many more heroes watching today that have displayed the same commitment, courage, and service during war and peacetime. I salute all of you and thank you for your service.
I want to share an email I received this summer from a fellow Veteran Service Officer. It was written by an Air Force pilot he served with during the Vietnam War. I was a peacetime Veteran, but I can relate to so much of it; I hope you will as well.
WE ARE VETERANS
We left home as teenagers for an unknown adventure. We loved our country enough to defend it and protect it with our own lives. We said goodbye to friends and family and everything we knew. We learned the basics and then we scattered in the wind to the far corners of the Earth. We found new friends and new family.
We became brothers and sisters regardless of color, race, or creed. We had plenty of good times, and plenty of bad times. We didn’t get enough sleep. We smoked and drank too much. We picked up both good and bad habits. We worked hard and played harder. We didn’t earn a great wage.
We experienced the happiness of mail call and the sadness of missing important events. We didn’t know when, or even if, we were ever going to see home again. We grew up fast, and yet somehow, we never grew up at all. We fought for our freedom, as well as the freedom of others. Some of us saw actual combat, and some of us did not. Some of us saw the world, and some of us did not.
Some of us dealt with physical warfare, most of us dealt with psychological warfare. We have seen and experienced and dealt with things that we can’t fully describe or explain, as not all of our sacrifices were physical.
We participated in time-honored ceremonies and rituals with each other, strengthening our bonds and camaraderie. We counted on each other to get our job done, and sometimes to survive it at all.
We have dealt with victory and tragedy. We have celebrated and mourned. We lost a few along the way. When our adventure was over, some of us went back home, some of us started somewhere new and some of us never came home at all.
We have told amazing and hilarious stories of our exploits and adventures. (At least to us they are amazing and hilarious) We share an unspoken bond with each other, that most people don’t experience, and few will understand.
We speak highly of our own branch of service and poke fun at the other branches. We know, however, that, if needed, we will be there for our brothers and sisters and stand together as one, in a heartbeat.
Being a veteran is something that had to be earned, and it can never be taken away. It has no monetary value, but at the same time, it is a priceless gift. People see a veteran and they thank them for their service.
But at least in my case, the gift of service was to myself. When we see each other, we give that little upwards head nod, or a slight smile, knowing that we have shared and experienced things that most people have not.
So, from myself to the rest of the veterans out there, I commend and thank you for all that you have done and sacrificed for your country. Try to remember the good times and forget the bad times.
Share your stories.
But most importantly, stand tall and proud, for you have earned the right to be called a Veteran.
Thank you to all who participated in today’s ceremony The Reading High School Band Ensemble, Reading Police Dept Honor Guard; thank you for raising funds to support Home Base, which helps Veterans and their families who are dealing with the invisible wounds of War … Father Rock, Mark Dockser, Autumn and to RCTV for always doing a great job. Special thank you to our Town Manager, Bob LeLacheur, and the Reading Select Board for their continued support of all Veterans issues throughout the year.
We all have challenging times ahead of us. COVID-19 is a formidable enemy, but I have no doubt that together, we will defeat it. Please follow the guidance provided by our outstanding board of health. Please continue to take care of your families, friends, and neighbors. Please reach out if you need assistance. We are here to help!
Finally – Please remember … every second of every day there are sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines, men and women, protecting our way of life…God Bless them and their families. Be well, everyone!
