By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

With all of the proper pageantry they deserve, nearly 50 local veterans and their families were honored at a breakfast and recognition ceremony on Nov. 7 that was hosted by State Rep. Christina Sappey at the VFW Post 5467 in Kennett Square.

Sappey, who serves as a member of the Pa. House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee with State Rep. Craig William of the 160th Legislative District, praised the veterans for the sacrifices they have made to the country and said that state legislators will continue to make sure that the veterans of Pennsylvania receive the resources and respect they deserve.
“As your state representative, I am devoted to you and committed to ensuring that Pennsylvania is a place where veterans are supported, appreciated and honored, not just on Veterans Day but every day,” she said. “This morning, we also recognize our military families who have stood by your side – the spouses, children, parents and loved ones who have made significant sacrifices and supported you and all of us throughout your service.”

‘Your service matters’

In his comments, VFW Post 5467 Commander Joseph Zenisek acknowledged veterans in attendance who served in Vietnam, in the Gulf, the Balkans and Iraq and Afghanistan – including one veteran who fought in the Korean Conflict. He emphasized that Veterans Day “is for the living.”

“It is an opportunity for a grateful nation to recognize and celebrate every single individual who has ever worn the uniform of the United States armed forces – in war and in peace, on active duty or in the reserve – from the day they first raised their right hand to this very moment. It is an opportunity for our nation to pause gratefully and say, with a united voice, ‘Your service matters. We remember your sacrifice, and we honor the promise we made to you.’

“Veterans Day is about recognizing their choice to place country above self.”

Zenisek said that the holiday also recognizes those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, and the nearly 81,000 American veterans who still remain unaccounted for.

“Our prisoners of war and those who remain missing in action – their sacrifice remains an opened wound, and until every hero is accounted for, we will keep the candle burning,” he said. “We will never allow their banner to fade, and under the WFW’s watch, they will not be forgotten.”

‘I see America’s history’

Brigadier General Frank J. McGovern IV, the event’s keynote speaker, acknowledged that Pennsylvania is the home of nearly 700,000 veterans – making it the fifth largest veteran population in the U.S., even though only five percent of the state’s residents have ever served in the military.

“You are in select company, you are a small subset of our country, yet a large part of its freedom,” said McGovern, who is an Assistant Adjutant General for the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and the Special Assistant to The Adjutant General. “That is why we are gathered here, not to mark a single victory but to honor the individuals who have made every victory possible.”

McGovern said that in the eyes of the veterans he saw from the podium, “I see American history.”

“I see the generations of men and women who when America’s freedom was threatened bravely stepped forward to safeguard it,” he said. “President Ronald Reagan once said, ‘Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.’ Reagan’s comment underscores the vital role that veterans play in preserving freedom across generations – whether it was a war fought nearly 250 years ago or more recently with Iraq and Afghanistan.”

The ceremony’s invocation and benediction were given by Rev. Annalie Korengel of the Unionville Presbyterian Church; the Kennett High School Singers performed the “National Anthem” and “God Bless America” and the posting and retiring of the colors was presented by Boy Scout Troop 53.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].