Photo By David Poe | Soldiers from the 571st Combat Engineer Company, 16th Brigade Engineer Battalion march...... read more read more
With more than 75,000 veterans and a burgeoning advocacy community, El Paso, Texas, continues to claim the moniker of “Veterans Capital of the United States.”
Col. Brendan Gallagher, in his second year as the Fort Bliss Garrison commander, believes there’s something to that.
“We recently had a retirement ceremony, which we have about once a month or so, and we had 15 service members choosing to bring their service to an honorable conclusion,” he said at the flag-adorned Old Glory Memorial in northeast El Paso, on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. “They could have chosen to have their household goods shipped one last time, free of charge, anywhere, and of those 15, 12 of them said, ‘You know what? I'm happy right here. I'm going to stay in the city of El Paso. That is just a tremendous testament to the fact that we here are in the ‘veterans capital of the United States.’”
Gallagher was one of several speakers at the 2024 Flags Across America Veterans Ceremony and Northeast El Paso Veterans Day Parade, one of several holiday observances Bliss leaders and Soldiers attended over the holiday weekend.
The organizers invited Col. Lee Freeman, the William Beaumont Army Medical Center commander, and his wife, (Ret.) Col. Rose Freeman, to ride as co-grand marshals of the parade in order to raise awareness for veteran families.
Gallagher and Freeman were also joined by their respective command sergeants major, Command Sgts. Maj. Dave Sweeney and James Musnicki; as well as Dr. Blanca Aragon from the VA El Paso Healthcare System; El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego; and El Paso County Veteran Advisory Board Veteran of the Year Debo Wakefield, amongst many veterans and Soldiers, youth groups, veteran advocates, and family members at the event.
Members of El Paso’s Col. Joseph C. Rodriguez Chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association were also in attendance, including chapter president Wayne Gilbert, who was a key speaker during the ceremony.
He shared his respect for fellow veterans throughout America’s military history and said to remember the fallen who fought in the name of peace for their progeny.
“I think it most appropriate that we recall on this occasion the contributions and sacrifices which so many men and women and families have made in order for our country to be in a position of responsibility and freedom and allow us together here today,” Gilbert said. “On this Veterans Day of 2024, on the day of remembrance, those who have fallen in this country's wars, and most especially those who have fallen in the first World War, the second Korean War, and Vietnam War, that there will be no veterans of any future wars. Why? Because all have learned, hopefully, to live together in peace.”
In addition to the speakers, Soldiers from the 1st Armored Division Band continued their November performance schedule by marching in the parade and performing holiday favorites along the route and under the holiday flag that flew over Old Glory Memorial for the occasion.
Sapper Soldiers from the 571st Combat Engineer Company, 16th Brigade Engineer Battalion also spent their holiday morning marching along the route representing the more than 30,000 Soldiers stationed at Bliss.
The northeast El Paso parade was one of several Veterans Day observances Bliss leaders and Soldiers attended in 2024.
Maj. Gen. Curt Taylor and Command Sgt. Maj. James Light, the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss command team, attended the downtown El Paso United American Veterans Organization Veterans Day commemoration, and other leaders attended several other Veterans Day events across the region over the weekend.
During his final Veterans Day as the Bliss Garrison commander, Gallagher closed with his appreciation for El Paso and its support of the military and for those who serve or who have served, suggesting that support is one of the best parts of being stationed at Bliss.
“About two-thirds of our families don't live on the installation proper,” said Gallagher, “they live across our great city of El Paso. Anytime our service members, our veterans, are out in the community it is just such a warm and phenomenal reception that they get every single day and we really appreciate it. There are so many reasons that this is just a fantastic place for Soldiers and families to come and to serve.
“Whether your service was in peacetime, whether your service was in wartime, we appreciate you,” said Gallagher. “We see you; we thank you for your service to our nation.”
For more information on veterans services and programs in the El Paso area, visit https://www.epcounty.com/veterans and https://www.elpasotexas.gov/veteran-resources.
| Date Taken: | 11.11.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2024 14:15 |
| Story ID: | 485299 |
| Location: | EL PASO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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