Mount Olive Veterans Day ceremony a call to service for support of veterans

Mount Olive’s annual Veterans Day ceremony was a call to duty, not for service to the country, but for veterans, particularly those struggling with suicidal thoughts.

Sponsored by Mount Olive VFW Post 9959 and American Legion Post 103, the ceremony was held Sunday, Nov. 12, at the Veterans Memorial on West Main Street.

VFW Post 9959 Chaplain John Moore set the tone of the ceremony when he prefaced his invocation by speaking about the suicide rate among veterans.

“There is just a little over 21 million Americans living today who are veterans in this country,” he said. “That is pretty significant in my view. Of those 21 million, 1,400,000 are wounded veterans, and that, too, is staggering.

“So when we pray today folks we need to remember our veterans that are around this country — we are losing 22 veterans a day that are committing suicide. To me that almost seemed staggering when I heard it first. I was thinking how in the world can we lose 22 veterans per day.”

People need to remember all living veterans whenever they pray, but especially on Veterans Day, he said.

Moore prefaced his benediction by saying that his oldest daughter is a defense attorney who lived in Arizona, but is now in Wilmington.

“Out in Arizona they did a vet clinic, and she had a 61-year-old man who had been dishonorably discharged,” Moore said. “He had come home from Vietnam after serving two tours — Silver Star and Bronze Star and several campaign medals.”

He was at Fort Bragg when he return home, and his record had been lost, Moore said. The man had been drafted for two years, but served for three.

Despite the lost records, the man stayed until his time was up and then went home.

The records were eventually found, but he was dishonorably discharged and all of his medals taken.

The issue was taken to court following the veterans clinic, and the dishonorable discharge was reversed.

“He got his medical care, he was in very ill health,” Moore added. “Then about six months after he had it reversed and he got his honorable discharge, he committed suicide.

“So men and women, we have a call to duty that we need to think about when we are sitting here … and if we know veterans who are in similar situations, there are clinics available to help our veterans today so that we are not celebrating them at Memorial Day.”

VFW Post 9959 Auxiliary President Violet Saviak introduced speaker Guy Smith, a major in the Marine Corps Reserves, and a New Bern attorney, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps Judge Advocate Division for 10 years.

Smith served at Camp Pendleton in California and at Cherry Point and Camp Lejeune in eastern North Carolina.

“I am here as a veteran to talk about what today means, what Veterans Day means,” he said. “Obviously it is very different than Memorial Day where we have a solemn duty to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Veterans Day to me is more for a call to action.”

Smith said his time in the Marine Corps was the defining experience of his life. It was wonderful in so many ways and is something he said would not trade for anything in the world.

When it comes to Veterans Day, Smith said the first thing he thinks of is the veteran who led him to serve — his father who served in Vietnam.

“But for me, most of all, Veterans Day is a call for service — what are we doing for each other on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “We heard from the chaplain about the 22. That is a well-publicized fact. We understand approximately 22 veterans commit suicide each day which is not acceptable.

“As it happens, just yesterday, the American Legion post out of New Bern sponsored a March for the 22. What a wonderful way to get awareness out, to do something about it. It was a 22-mile march from Pollocksville to downtown New Bern.”

Smith said over the past 14 months, through his involvement with the Camp Lejeune water litigation issue, that he has visited about every department conference in the Southeast and visit with VFW members.

Smith said he has been inspired by what the VFW and American Legion do.

“The way in which you see veterans caring for veterans is awesome,” he added. “The other thing, too, on a bigger grander level is the that the VFW is the reason the (federal) PACT (The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics) even happened.

“The PACT Act, as you all know, is kind of a once-in-a-generation piece of legislation that is going to improve the lives of veterans; get them needed medical care; monetary benefits. That doesn’t happen without the VFW. So kind of going back to the theme of a call for action — that is exactly the kind of thing that has inspired me.”

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Department of North Carolina has 10 programs it promotes and supports each year, the No. 1 program is for veterans and family support, Saviak said.

This year N.C. Department President Connie Holt’s special project is to support cultivating the future for veterans, she said.

The department is a nonprofit organization located near Fayetteville that supports and helps veterans who are suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder, disabled veterans who were wounded in service and most of all, those who are considering suicide, Saviak added.

Suicide is a major problem among veterans, she said.

Saviak told the story of a man who went into the military to get away from farming. He had been raised on a farm, but did not want to farm for the rest of his life or go off to college.

Following his service, he was suffering just like all veterans coming home, Saviak said. He didn’t know what to do so he returned to farming.

Now he operates a farm that brings in veterans who are suffering to teach them that there are other choices, she continued.

“He teaches them how to cope with life outside the military, and that is what the main project is for the VFW Auxiliary,” she said. “Any support that you can give to that organization, if you will contact us, we will be glad to forward it to you.”

VFW Post 9959 Commander Jimmie Outlaw gave the welcome and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Outlaw and American Legion Post 103 Commander Bill Manuel performed the wreath-laying ceremony and the lowering of the flag to half mast was conducted by VFW Post 9959 Quartermaster and Adjunct Ron Hatch and past VFW Post 9959 and District 2 commander Ray Harrell.

Taps was sounded.

The ceremony had special meaning for Cindy Waters Hardy of Seven Springs — military service is a family tradition.

Her uncle was one of five brothers to serve in World War II, and was the only one who died in action, she said.

Hardy’s husband, Tony, spent 30 years in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, including 12 years active in the aftermath of 9/11. He is a member of Mount Olive American Legion Post 103.

Her daughter, Victoria Hill, spent two years as an Army medic in South Korea. Her father, Gerald Waters, who was from the White Flash community near Mount Olive, served in the Merchant Marines during World War II and her step-father, Harry Blanchard, served in the Air Force.

Following the service she made sure to take a photo of the name of her uncle, Charles Malcolm Price, who died in action two days before the war ended in the European Theatre.

“I knew this was here, and I wanted to see it,” she said.

Suicide among veterans is a sad fact faced by the county, Hardy added.

“I think we need to do more to help those because a lot of those who served are not honored like they should be and not given the care they should receive,” she said. “We would not be here without them.

“I think the memorial is beautiful. The ceremony was very moving … made us aware that God and country is what it is all about and that we do need to honor those serving; those veterans and those who gave their lives.”