Ocean County College Honors Local Veterans

By George Galesky

Ocean County College honored local veterans for their service and sacrifice during a special salute to veterans ceremony at noon Monday. Veterans who served around the world over decades were represented and in the audience during the outdoor ceremony, including some of the college's own students and faculty.

The program's guest speaker was Brigadier Gen. Martha A. Meeker of US Air Force Expeditionary Center of the Joint Base at Lakehurst Fort Dix and Maguire. She spoke of the varied sacrifices made throughout each of the military campaigns the branches see.

"Their service recognizes the liberty and sacrifice our founding fathers envisioned when they came here."

Meeker shared a story of her attendance at a recent military funeral, and how the outpouring of support that day is more than appropriate today and every day of the year. She mentioned that approximateky a half million service men and women have died in conflicts after WWI, the war Armistice Day was made to commemorate.

"There are about 100 people here today, each of you represent 5,000 people who have died in combat," she said.

In his own speech, OCC Pres. Jon Larsen said the freedoms we have are safeguarded by the sacrifices of veterans, and that throughout the nation and in its bases worldwide, people are simultaneously recognizing veterans in events large and small.

"We are proud to continue our tradition recognizing them here as well," he said.

The OCC Concert Band led the ceremony with the National Anthem, and also played a medley of each anthem from the branches of the military. As each theme song played, the veterans who served in that branch stood up to applause from the audience.

On Tuesday, the college will host another ceremony at its Southern Education Center, 195 Cedar Bridge Road, Manahawkin, at 9:30 a.m. Alan Smith, OCC Adjunct Instructor of Humanities & Fine Arts, will present “Veterans: Yesterday and Today” in the Student Lounge.  The Southern Regional R.O.T.C. Drill Team will perform a presentation of colors.