Veterans, their families and community members gathered at Veterans Memorial Park on Old Highway 76 for a memorial service to honor the nation’s service men and women Saturday, November 9.
During the event, retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Ken Brenneman served as the event’s guest speaker and spoke about the importance of remembering the sacrifices made by those who have served.
“It’s important that we remember there is no greater honor in the United States of America than to serve your country as a combat warrior willing to die to protect others’ freedom,” he said. “This greatest nation’s history is rich with tradition and we should be proud of the men and women who have served and are serving.”
Brenneman began his service in 1986 when he was commissioned into the United States Air Force as a Second Lieutenant at Ohio State University in the Air Force ROTC. He has served across the world in places such as Iceland, Afghanistan, Iraq, Japan, Qatar, Washington D.C, South Carolina and Georgia. After 21 years of military service, Brenneman and his family moved to Blue Ridge and bought Blue Jeans Pizza & Pasta.
He expressed his appreciation to the generations of veterans who served before him, stating, “You truly are a representative of what made this country great and without you and your sacrifice and by the grace of God, we may not be here today. Your sacrifice and your families’ sacrifices should never be forgotten.”
Soldiers who have fallen in combat and those who are or were once prisoners of war or missing in action were honored during the ceremony as well.
“This is to all our comrades who have already been transferred to the highest authority,” North Georgia Honor Guard Commander Bill Stodghill said as a pair of combat boots, a rifle, a combat helmet and a set of dog tags were placed in front of the crowd.
According to Stodghill, there have been over 142,000 prisoners of war since World War I and over 90,000 service men and women classified as missing in action or unaccounted for since World War II.
“We must not forget their sacrifices that they made and the suffering they endured for us and our way of life,” he said. “They must remain alive in our hearts and in our minds. We owe them this. We owe them more. We must also give moral support to their families because some of them are still suffering today.”