'Service equals sacrifice': Veterans and families honor those who served during Veteran’s Day 2022 ceremony

Veteran’s Day came about as a way for the country to honor servicemen and women. The origins of the holiday date back to the Armistice reached at the end of World War I. On the 11th day of the 11th month, the temporary cessation of hostilities in 1918 came about at 11 a.m., when the Allied Powers and Germans signed the armistice. Twenty years later, it became a federally-recognized holiday to celebrate all United States veterans involved in armed conflicts.

And so on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11 a.m., veterans from all branches, young and old, along with members of the JROTC and Boy Scouts, gathered at the Veterans’ Wall Memorial in Wasilla to mark the 104th Veteran’s Day.

The brisk winds did nothing to diminish the reverence of the Veteran’s Day celebration as people commemorated the service and sacrifice made by the men and women who have answered the call to service.

“Veteran’s Day is an opportunity to honor Americans who have answered the call to serve, whether in times of peace or times of war, and we owe some much to those who have sacrificed their safety, their time and, so much more in the name of America’s freedom,” said Gerri Sumpter, who was representing Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s office at the ceremony.

Chad Padgett, who attended on behalf of Sen. Dan Sullivan remarked on how many children were in attendance at the ceremony, before passing along a message from the Senator, “Reach out to your fellow veterans and to those on base and make sure they know we care.”

In a proclamation from Gov. Mike Dunleavy and read by Todd Smoldon, “the freedoms we enjoy and values we hold dear as Americans do not come without sacrifice, so as our nation has experienced many conflicts, we must make the time to express our sincere gratitude to our veterans for preserving our rights and liberties, and for fighting to protect the freedom of others.”

The well-attended ceremony drove home the reminder that Alaska has the most veterans per capita of anywhere in the country, a great source of pride for the veterans and guests on Friday.

“We are so fortunate that so many veterans call Alaska home. They are our friends, our family, our co-workers, and our neighbors. Veterans demonstrate commitment, courage, strength, and perseverance. Today we honor them for their devotion to duty,” said Wasilla Mayor Glenda Ledford.

“Our veterans are everything…those who have served and are serving deserve our respect and support,” said Palmer Deputy Mayor Pam Melin, who was in attendance. Melin herself comes from a long history of veterans.

Mat-Su Borough Mayor Edna Devries echoed those sentiments.

“I’m just so thankful for the country we live in. What little we can do today to say thank you is so much and so heartfelt,” DeVries said.

Mayor DeVries also thanked the families of the veterans, recognizing the importance of their sacrifices and service.

Amid the proclamations and speeches was a moment of reflection to the late Bert Cottle, who was instrumental in moving the Veteran’s Wall.

“Bert Cottle was a true friend and the primary catalyst for this wall and where it is today,” said JR Hackett, President of Board of Directors for Veterans Wall of Honor, reflecting on the late mayor’s work to make sure the Veteran’s Memorial Wall received a place of honor.

Before moving to its location in front of the Wasilla Police Department, the wall had stood near the Mat Su Regional Medical Center prior to being moved in 2018, a move approved by the Mat-Su Borough Assembly.

At the time, then-Wasilla Mayor Bert Cottle and the Wasilla City Council stepped up and donated the land for the new location. He led the efforts to ensure the wall was relocated promptly.

US Air Force Colonel Mike Fea, Commander of the DoD/VA Joint Venture Hospital on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, gave remarks highlighting that no matter when people served, whether in times of war or peace, every person who has donned a uniform had a common purpose for doing so:

“Every person that has joined the military had a different reason for doing so, but throughout those various reasons, there is a thread that goes through all that says that service equals sacrifice,” he said.

Colonel Fea went on to say that it doesn’t matter if someone served a day, one enlistment, or 30 years, because in the end, the men and women in uniform made a conscious decision to dedicate their lives, and the lives of their families, to something greater than themselves.

VFW Susitna Post 9365 Senior Vice Commander Ryan Moe, US Air Force, who along with his fellow members and officers presided over the ceremony, reflected on the emotional day, saying,

“Days like today are really good, with everyone coming together as a community and supporting our veterans.”

As the wreaths and markers were placed and a 21-gun salute was fired, people had the opportunity to look at the names etched into the walls, meet, speak, and catch up at a place where veterans gather. A lone bugle played “Taps” into the cold wind and rendered honors into the hearts of everyone in attendance.