MERIDIAN, Idaho — The community gathered at the Rock of Honor Memorial at Kleiner Park in Meridian Monday for a ceremony honoring veterans.
- The event featured a keynote speech from former United States Senator Larry Craig, a laying of the wreath, a rifle volley and a playing of Taps.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
"Veterans Day, we have to come together. You know, we all served, we all sacrificed," says Tammy Clement, the Commander of the VFW Post 4000 in Meridian.
She tells me that the annual Veterans Day ceremony is an opportunity to support those who have served.
"You know the camaraderie that the military has is very important and we're here to support each other and to honor each other," says Clement.
"This is a special monument that was created in the City of Meridian, by John Burns and the committee, and so on with a lot of support from the community to recognize those veterans," says American Legion Post 113 Commander Ralph Cavalieri.
He says it's important to take time to reflect.
"You know, we're busy all the time, it's a time to pause, and reflect on the contributions that veterans have made to this nation," says Cavalieri.
"I think we forget the thousands and thousands of men and women who went in harm's way to save our country and save our freedom," says former United States Senator Larry Craig, who was a guest speaker at Monday's event.
He tells me that in his role as Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee in the Senate, he visited thousands of American Service Members who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our country.
"I walked the cemeteries of Normandy and the Ardennes, and in Belgium at Belarus those cemeteries. I've traveled around the world, and I've seen those thousands and thousands of rows of white crosses and I know that every one was an American. And every one was usually a young man who lost his life in service and in protection of our country, and you just have to care and give and you should as an American citizen," says Craig.
