CAPE MAY, N.J. – Coast Guard recruits and Coast Guardsmen participated in several Veterans’ Day events to honor America’s past and present service members.
More than 80 Training Center Cape May staff and recruits marched in the New York City Veterans’ Day Parade for the first time in the unit’s recent history. The Coast Guard was the featured armed service in this year’s parade, and numerous Coast Guard units from the region participated in the parade.
“It’s fitting that even while Coast Guardsmen are still responding in the wake of Hurricane Sandy that our service was featured at the New York City Veterans Day Parade,” said Capt. Bill Kelly, the commanding officer of Training Center Cape May. “The American people should rest easy knowing that Coast Guardsmen are standing the watch at home and abroad.”
Coast Guardsmen also participated in two Veterans’ Day events in South Jersey. A Coast Guard firing party and color guard participated in a ceremony hosted by the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Cape May Sunday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. A Coast Guard firing party and color guard participated in a ceremony hosted by the Cape May County Veteran’s Bureau at the Cape May County Veterans’ Cemetery Sunday at 2 p.m. Training center staff and their families also traveled to Washington to participate in Flags Across America by placing flags on the graves of Coast Guardsmen at Arlington National Cemetary Saturday.
“As military servicemembers, it was our duty and privilege to honor veterans from all the armed services this Veteran’s Day,” said Kelly. “We helped the American people remember the service and sacrifice of all veterans on this special day.”
The Coast Guard is the Nation’s longest continuous maritime armed service and traces its roots to 1790. Coast Guardsmen have served in every single major conflict since their service’s inception, and Coast Guardsmen are currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and anywhere else the Nation may need them. Aside from being a military service, the Coast Guard balances numerous humanitarian, law enforcement and environmental protection missions as well. It is the only organization in the federal government that is both an armed force and a law enforcement agency.
