The Georgia War Veterans Home (GWVH) hosted its annual Veterans Day Ceremony Nov. 11, though forced to move its ceremony indoors from its original location outside due to forecasted inclement weather.
GWVH staff and the public lined the halls of the home with flags as veterans were guided and wheeled into the new location. As people took their seats, many pulled chairs to sit beside their loved ones or to give company to veterans and thank them for their service. The room was full of gratitude and expressions of thanks as the ceremony started.
Executive Director of Health and Memorials for the Georgia Department of Veterans Service Russell Feagin welcomed everyone to the ceremony and served as leader for each presentation during the hour-long ceremony. Vietnam veteran and Veteran Council President Willie Duncan led the invocation and prayer, followed by a presentation of colors by the Wilkinson County Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps.
World War II veteran and GWVH resident Truett Elton then led the Pledge of Allegiance before Ms. Georgia Senior America 2023 and veteran Rebecca Berry-Joliff sang the national anthem, followed by a recognition of special guests.
Several organizations and local leaders were among the crowd, including but not limited to Georgia College & State University President Cathy Cox, former state senator and mayor of Milledgeville Floyd Griffin, Mayor of Milledgeville Mary Parham-Copelan, State Senator Rick Williams, Commissioner Henry Craig, and guest speaker United States Marine Corps (retired) General Robert Magnus and his wife Meredith Magnus, chair of the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation.
“It’s always an awesome time to be here and see a packed house,” said Parham-Copelan. “On behalf of the City of Milledgeville, I have brought a proclamation for Veterans Day.
“Because of the sacrifices of the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States of America during peacetime, political turbulence, and in times of outright war, and whereas there are 600,000 veterans in the state of Georgia, many of whom live in this community who by their leadership, strength of character, and continued devotion to the highest ideals of citizenship promote a foundation of which both the strength and progress of our city, our state, and our nation rest,” read Parham-Copelan. “As citizens of this nation, it is a privilege and honor to express our gratitude to the members of our Armed Forces and their families.”
Parham- Copelan also urged all citizens to remember the sacrifice and commitment of all those who served this nation honorably. Following her proclamation, Magnus spoke on the same sentiment.
“We are here because of the veterans here, those who cannot be here, and those who have passed before us,” said Magnus. “We are here because of the sacrifices of time and oftentimes of life. Those members of our military who have gone before us, as you just heard, are with us now and will be with us into the future.”
Magnus was commissioned in 1969 and retired after 39 years of service.
He was the last activeduty Marine Corps officer who served during the Vietnam War and held many titles during his career. During his speech, he recounted what led to the establishment of Armistice Day, which later became Veterans Day.
“I am not here to tell you why you're here but how you are here. About 110 years ago, 1914, when World War I began is where it began,” said Magnus. “This (story) is not about the Marine Corps but about the American military…fast forward to 1917, things had not played out as President Wilson would have preferred and the United States was forced to declare war against Germany and Austro Hungry. By declaring war, the United States started something that even today, I think is almost miraculous. In one year from April 1917, one million Americans were shipped from the U.S. to France.”
World War I officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, at the Palace of Versailles in France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary ceasefire, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. This day became known as Armistice Day until 1954 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed the name to Veterans Day. Over time, the celebration and name changed periodically until Sept. 20, 1975, when President Gerald Ford signed Public Law 94-97, which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to the date Nov. 11.
“This was not just about one armistice but became a day to celebrate all our American Military past, present, and future,” said Magnus. “It is a sacred day to thank ourselves, families, friends, neighbors, and God, because men and women rose up behind us, with us, and in front of us to defend our way of life and the Constitution.”
Closing the ceremony, Berry-Joliff sang “God Bless America” and Duncan returned to offer one last moment of silence to his fellow veterans and their loved ones.