Attendees of the Honor & Remember Celebrating Our Veterans program were reminded freedom isn’t free at the First Friday event downtown Warsaw.
The program was to continue to honor and recognize veterans. In the past, veterans from different eras, such as World War II, have been recognized, said Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer. Friday’s event was expanded to recognize those veterans who served in the Armed Forces from 1975 onward.
The guest speaker was chaplain Kenneth R. Jackson, who was introduced by Thallemer.
Thallemer said Jackson is member of the 1st Brigade of the Indiana Guard Reserve and the senior pastor at Shoaff Park Baptist Church in Fort Wayne. Jackson has a “multitude” of family members that served, including three of his six children. His father and his sister are Air Force veterans and Jackson’s father served in France during World War I.
Jackson said his father taught him to respect the military and those that served in it.
“You need not be reminded that freedom is not free,” Jackson said. May 15 is Armed Forces Day to honor those who are still wearing the uniform. On 9/11, we honor Veterans Day, honoring those who hung up the uniform. On Memorial Day, those who “never had the chance to hang up the uniform” are remembered.
Several of Jackson’s family members served in World War II. He said thinking of WWII, it is difficult to comprehend the sacrifice the men and women made for freedom.
“We thank God for it, but we can’t really comprehend it,” Jackson said. During WWII, people charged up hills, knowing that people went up before them and didn’t make it.
“These men and women knew that freedom isn’t free,” Jackson said.
“We see these soliders in our mind as old and wise. We see them something like the Founding Fathers – brave and gray-haired. But most of them were boys when they died,” Jackson said.
He said those who died gave up two lives – the lives they were living and the lives they would have lived.
“When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands, fathers and grandfathers. They gave up their chance to be revered old men. They gave up everything for their country, for us. All we can do is remember.”
Jackson said the Scripture said there is a time to mourn and a time to dance – and there is a time to celebrate a life.
Jackson said the community celebrates veterans during Friday’s event because they have provided the country with freedom.
Jackson said the United States was born for freedom and people in other countries can’t understand our freedom.
Jackson noted it is the veteran, not the preacher or chaplain, who has given the country the freedom of religion. It is the veteran, not the reporter, that has given the country the freedom of the press. It is the veteran, not the politician, who has given the country the right to vote.
Many veterans willingly charged up hills and survived, Jackson said. “And thank God they survived.”
Jackson said, “We are the reason they served.”
He said because of that, “that makes us all part of one team.” Jackson said for those that didn’t serve in the military, he said people can show up and honor those that did serve, which included Friday’s event.
“You’re showing up and showing support,” Jackson said. He said people should talk to veterans about their experiences, noting it’s good therapy.
Those who didn’t serve can serve their country by standing up and honoring veterans, because “freedom isn’t free,” Jackson said.
After Jackson spoke, Ken Locke, envoy for the Salvation Army, gave a history of Kosciusko Honor & Remember and how it honors veterans.
Kosciusko Honor & Remember was started in 2004 as local celebration of the dedication of the national World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., said Locke. There were several awards Honor & Remember has added to honor veterans since its inception. Locke said Kosciusko Honor & Remember added work at the memorial at Oakwood Cemetery for those who died from Agent Orange and other exposures. In 2020, wording was added to the county’s war memorial to honor Gold Star families.
“We want to do everything we can to honor and remember the veterans in this community,” Locke said.
During the event, veterans were recognized by name and military branch.
