The snow provided a picturesque scene as community members gathered at Sunset Hills Cemetery to honor our veterans.
For Melissa Smith, a Marine Corps veteran, every time she plays the bugle she reflects on a holiday like Veterans Day as a time for Americans to honor our servicemen and women.
“It is an opportunity to thank those who were available whether or not they were deployed, it's an opportunity to thank those who put their lives at risk,” said Smith.
For some veterans like Geroge Morales, an Army veteran, this day is a painful reminder.
“For many years it meant nothing to me; as a matter of fact, I didn't want to be reminded of Veterans Day,” said Morales.
Smith says playing the bugle at events like this is an honor for all those veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“It's one of those things that you hear when you go into the military that you've earned military honors, you don't think about that when you are young, but when you are older it's everybody who has recently served to people who have been World War Two vets,” said Smith.
Morales says that Veterans Day has come to mean more as the years have passed.
“Now Veterans Day is very important to me. I am an outreach-minded kind of veteran,” he said.
Both Smith and Morales agree that now more than ever people are acknowledging that women play a large part in the military.
“It's been a pleasure in recent years. People have started acknowledging when they see a veteran's sticker they have quit assuming it's the man, and no disrespect to men, but I am so glad that we are finally realizing that women are veterans,” said Smith.
“One of the things that I enjoy about Veterans Day is that there are so many women veterans. I am so proud of them,” said Morales.
