Nov. 12, 2006 — When soldiers throughout the territory and on the mainland don their uniforms and go into war, they are fighting to protect one basic and fundamental right: freedom, said officials speaking Saturday at Veterans Day ceremonies on St. Thomas.
"From the cold winter at Valley Forge to the hot terrain of Iraq, our soldiers have bravely gone whenever and wherever they have been called," said Eddie deLagarde, representing Delegate Donna M. Christensen. "Without them, America would not shine as a beacon of hope throughout the world."
DeLagarde's statements set the tone for the rest of the ceremony, held in Emancipation Garden. For the rest of the afternoon, speeches by other public officials also highlighted and honored the courage displayed by troops engaged in battles "from the Revolution on up."
"All those who have served — not just those who've died — have sacrificed for us," said Sonia Moreno, director of the Veterans' Affairs Regional Office in San Juan, Puerto Rico. "And on this day, we want to salute America's heroes for their service in the cause of freedom."
The veterans, both young and old, greeted Moreno's statement with loud applause, joined by the rest of the crowd that filled the park on Saturday. A few tourists also joined the crowd, waving miniature American flags and dancing to music played by the V.I. National Guard 73rd Army Band.
The keynote speech came from Captain James E. Tunstall, Coast Guard Commander in San Juan. While he also paid tribute to troops "who have defended our country," his speech focused on what the community could do to thank veterans for the services they've rendered.
"Our freedom is safeguarded every day by the men and women who continue to serve," he said. "But this freedom is in fact not free. There is always a heavy price to pay, and we have to find the time — more than one day a year — to thank those who have put their education, their families and their careers on hold and put their lives in harm's way again and again to serve us."
One of the most important things a community can do is to make sure soldiers returning home from war remain employed, Tunstall said. "It's hard for our heroes to come back home if they don't have a job, and I hear time and again people asking, 'Will I return home to find my job waiting for me?'"
Community members should "reach out" to returning veterans by recognizing their accomplishments, he said.
"When you see one of our officers — either walking down the street or in the supermarket, anywhere — simply extend your hand and say, 'Thank you for what you do every day,'" Tunstall said. "It's not only the simplest thing you can do, it is the right thing to do."
In honor of the more than 150,000 veterans living throughout the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, Tunstall ended his speech with his own "thank you."
Yvonne Washington, a local nurse practitioner, had tears in her eyes after Tunstall's remarks.
"This is such an emotional day for me," she said. "I'm a veteran too, and I remember what it was like to be out there, wearing that uniform. I remember that we always lived by the same motto — 'Put service above self' — and I've kept that with me, and have always used it in my everyday life."
A former captain in the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corp, Washington said she was recruited "right out of college" and served in support units during Operation Just Cause (the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989), Desert Storm and Desert Shield. She also joined troops in Bosnia.
"I never expected to be drafted," she said. "But it was a phenomenal life."
From recent wars in the Middle East and back once again to the Revolution, St. Thomas Administrator James O'Bryan echoed the theme of sacrifice.
"Every day, freedom must be fought for," he said. "And while it would be easy for us to retreat into the tyranny from which we came, it is for us to protect it, to preserve it, to advance it, and, if necessary, to die for it. We are better people because of those who have served and sacrificed."
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