Mat-Su Veterans Wall of Honor Veterans Day Ceremony draws packed and patriotic crowd

WASILLA — A large crowd of dedicated Alaskans turned out in force at the Mat-Su Veterans Walls of Honor for the annual Veterans Day Ceremony in spite of the heavy snowfall to honor Alaskan military veterans and all those who served their country.

“I tell ya, Veterans Day always gives us the bad weather it seems like, but these are dedicated people that come out here to show their respect and honor,” Mat-Su Veterans Wall of Honor Foundation Board President JR Hackett said. “We’ve got a strong veteran appreciation here in the state, right here in the Valley especially.”

Special guest speakers such as Gov. Mike Dunleavy, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, and Wasilla Mayor Glenda Ledford shared messages of support and gratitude for countless sacrifices made by the men and women of the armed forces throughout history.

“The military life is built around sacrifice and commitment to our nation, and for one day, we stand united in respect for you, our veterans. We owe you more than we can ever repay,” Ledford said. “We thank you today and every day for our safety, for our freedom, and for what you endured so our ideals may live on.”

The Alaska Combat Vets hosted this year’s ceremony with the support of local veteran organizations. Each group from the community is represented in the Wall Foundation board of directors.

AK Combat Vets Chaplain Charles Hermans led a group prayer in honor of veterans of all branches of the military.

“It’s our honor to do this for our brothers, our sisters, and for all of you,” Hermans said.

The Veterans Wall has had a long and eventful journey to its location in front of the Wasilla Police Department. It was dedicated for the first time in November of 1992, according to Hackett.

The Veterans Wall had stood near the hospital prior to being moved in 2018 and was the subject of a vote by the Mat-Su Borough Assembly in 2018 to move the wall.

“It’s been awesome,” Hackett said.

According to Hackett, there are several current projects centered around the Veterans Wall, in development, including an upgrade to the pavilion pillars and the sound system. During the ceremony, he revealed the latest addition to the grounds, a war dog statue dedicated to Valley Veteran Leo Kaye and Hazel Schwulst.

“After the Veterans Wall was dedicated [in 1992], Leo set in motion the gathering of money to finance and design a memorial to honor all the dogs that served in U.S. conflicts and in peacetime and were responsible for saving thousands of lives,” Hackett said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com