Salute to Veterans ceremony honors service, sacrifice

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Members of the base community gathered here to recognize veterans during the fifth annual Salute to Veterans Nov. 9 at the conference center.

The patriotic ceremony honored the service of more than 100 veterans, many of whom now serve as federal employees at Hanscom.

“Veterans Day is defined as a day to set aside to thank and honor all those who have served in the military honorably during wartime and in peace,” said Col. Roman L. Hund, installation commander, during his opening remarks. “Your service, experience and expertise make my job enjoyable, and it creates an atmosphere and morale at Hanscom that is like no other. I thank you all for your continued service.”

Hund also highlighted what veterans have to offer and how “they’re the fabric of history.”

“Veterans come from a wide variety of backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures and represent a multitude of career fields, educational levels and serve for a number of different reasons, and yet we all have one common thread -- we all chose to fight for our country and its freedom.”

Serving as the event’s guest speaker was retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Richard Burton, now a Roman Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of Boston, who spoke about having faith while in the military.

“When you serve in the military, you have to have faith in your life,” he said. “When you serve in our great United States armed forces, whatever branch you serve in, you have to bring that faith to bear.”

Following Burton’s remarks, a 30-person formation of Airmen and Soldiers saluted each veteran after Chief Master Sgts. Scott Pepper and Michael Kovach, assigned to the 66th Security Forces Squadron and 319th Recruiting Squadron respectively, read aloud their names.

One veteran attending the ceremony was retired U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Dean Mottard, who noted the significance of each salute to him.

“The hand salute is the ultimate sign of respect,” said Mottard, who is a volunteer at the Hanscom Retiree Activities Office. “By virtue of the hand salute during the ceremony today, that connection, that respect, it shows how much today’s service members respect the service of those who came before them.”

Hund encouraged each veteran to be vocal in highlighting his or her service.

“I’d ask you to be vocal, pass on your stories and experiences and help others of all ages understand the patriotism in your soul and the love of your country in your heart.”