Veterans Day Service Held At Lafayette Crosses

Honor those who have served and be more diligent when it comes to stopping war.

Those were the two messages delivered Monday evening at a Veterans Day service at the Lafayette Crosses, where hundreds of white markers cover a hillside in memory of the more than 6,800 U.S. military personnel who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

About 30 people attended the commemoration that included speeches, poems and songs.

The attendees were told to remember those who have served in the military but to also be "better citizens" when it comes to speaking out against war.

"It is our duty to make sure we only go to war for the rightest of reasons and only as a last resort," said Chris Donton, one of the volunteers who maintains the crosses on the hill across the street from the BART station.

He said the crosses are a daily reminder of the hasty decisions this country made when invading Iraq and Afghanistan.

"This memorial is a stark reminder of this hysteria," Donton said.

State Sen. Mark DeSaulnier also spoke, reminding the crowd that more U.S. soldiers have committed suicide than have been killed in the war.

He said the country should dedicate itself to taking better care of the people who return home from war zones.

"We need to make sure we provide the services they need," DeSaulnier said.