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Honoring our veterans
  
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By Jamie Larson
As Hudson saluted the city’s veterans Wednesday with its annual parade and ceremony, speakers honored the past while looking to the future, and called for greater public participation in government.
The parade started at the Seventh Street park and wound down Warren Street to the Columbia County Courthouse. At the courthouse a wreath was placed at the foot of the World War II memorial and the Hudson High School band played the appropriate patriotic songs.
Hudson Mayor Richard Scalera spoke about honoring America’s veterans not just on Nov. 11 but also earlier in the month on Election Day.
“It is important that we gather to say thank you to the men and women who fought and continue to fight, protecting our democracy and our right to vote,” Scalera said. “Our democracy will continue to grow strong provided we continue to exercise our given right to cast that very vote.
“I brought this up because voter turnout last week was anything but good,” the mayor continued. “Some called it apathetic while others labeled it pathetic. As a county we need to do better, it is our responsibility to do better and our veterans demand we do better.”
The Veteran’s Day celebration guest speaker was a young second lieutenant in the U.S. Army from Kinderhook — Jason Nichols. Nichols is the son of County Court Judge Jonathan Nichols. Nichols was commissioned last May and will head to aviation school In 2010. Currently, he serves as an Army recruiter for Boston University’s Army ROTC.
Nichols said he was initially apprehensive when asked to speak at the event by his father.
“What does a second lieutenant in the Army know about being a veteran?” he asked. “I’ll answer that for you, and the [non-commissioned officers] in the audience can attest to this — not very much.”
The veterans in attendance chuckled in agreement. Nichols said he soon realized however that he would do his fellow new lieutenants a disservice by not standing at the event and letting the veterans know how much their service means to everyone.
“I stand here before you proud to wear this uniform,” Nichols said. “Proud, not because of what I have done, but rather what all the veterans of our great nation have accomplished before me, in this very uniform. I [enlisted] in hopes that one day I will earn my right to stand amongst you veterans, on a Veteran’s Day similar to this one, in a nation as free as ours today.”
To reach reporter Jamie Larson, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2269, or e-mail jlarson@registerstar.com.
The parade started at the Seventh Street park and wound down Warren Street to the Columbia County Courthouse. At the courthouse a wreath was placed at the foot of the World War II memorial and the Hudson High School band played the appropriate patriotic songs.
Hudson Mayor Richard Scalera spoke about honoring America’s veterans not just on Nov. 11 but also earlier in the month on Election Day.
“It is important that we gather to say thank you to the men and women who fought and continue to fight, protecting our democracy and our right to vote,” Scalera said. “Our democracy will continue to grow strong provided we continue to exercise our given right to cast that very vote.
“I brought this up because voter turnout last week was anything but good,” the mayor continued. “Some called it apathetic while others labeled it pathetic. As a county we need to do better, it is our responsibility to do better and our veterans demand we do better.”
The Veteran’s Day celebration guest speaker was a young second lieutenant in the U.S. Army from Kinderhook — Jason Nichols. Nichols is the son of County Court Judge Jonathan Nichols. Nichols was commissioned last May and will head to aviation school In 2010. Currently, he serves as an Army recruiter for Boston University’s Army ROTC.
Nichols said he was initially apprehensive when asked to speak at the event by his father.
“What does a second lieutenant in the Army know about being a veteran?” he asked. “I’ll answer that for you, and the [non-commissioned officers] in the audience can attest to this — not very much.”
The veterans in attendance chuckled in agreement. Nichols said he soon realized however that he would do his fellow new lieutenants a disservice by not standing at the event and letting the veterans know how much their service means to everyone.
“I stand here before you proud to wear this uniform,” Nichols said. “Proud, not because of what I have done, but rather what all the veterans of our great nation have accomplished before me, in this very uniform. I [enlisted] in hopes that one day I will earn my right to stand amongst you veterans, on a Veteran’s Day similar to this one, in a nation as free as ours today.”
To reach reporter Jamie Larson, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2269, or e-mail jlarson@registerstar.com.
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