Kenneth Swearengin welcomed everyone to honor the Veterans and introduced several including Tila Rowland-Hubrecht (Representative 151st District), Missouri Representative Jason Smith (R-8th Congressional District), and Doug Libla (Missouri State Senator, 25th District). Each thanked the Veterans for their sacrifice and reminded everyone to continue to thank a Veterans each time you see them.
Invocation was presented by Pastor Ronnie Stevens .
Gary Kitchen, SFC USA Retired presided over the POW/MIA Table Ceremony while Allison Statler, student at Bloomfield Schools, played Amazing Grace on her violin in the background.
Participating in the ceremony were James Adams SFC USA Retired (US Army); Tom Love Capt USMC Retired (US Marine Corps); Carl Bess PO1 USN Retired (US Navy); Darryl LaPierre SGT USAF (US Air Force); and Justin Baker CW04 USCG Retired (US Coast Guard). Each presented a cover and placed it on the plate on the table for their respective branch of the military. For more on just the POW/MIA Table Ceremony CLICK HERE.
With temperatures quickly dropping below zero and the winds beginning to pick up a bit Ken Swearengin, SMSgt USAF Retired introduced LTC Ed Gargas, MOARNG as the keynote speaker.
"Lieutenant Colonel Ed Gargas has nearly 28 years of military service, serving 25 of those years in the 35th Engineer Brigade, headquartered at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he is now serving as the Deputy Brigade Commander.
He began his military career in January 1987, joining the Simultaneous Membership Program as an ROTC Cadet in September 1987 with the 1140th Engineer Battalion. He commissioned as a Second lieutenant on 13 May 1989 and was assigned as a Platoon Leader with the Headquarters Company, 1140th Engineer Battalion.
Lieutenant Colonel Gargas’ National Guard positions held are Platoon Leader with Headquarters , Charlie Company 1140th Engineer Battalion, and the 1221st Transportation Company, S1 (Personnel Officer), Company Commander with Charlie Company 1140th, Assistant Operations Officer, S4 (Logistics Officer), and Operations Officer for the 35th Engineer Brigade, S3 (Training and Operations Officer) and Executive Officer for the 1140th Engineer Battalion, Engineer Coordinator with 35th Infantry Division, S3 (Training and Operations Officer) with the 35th Engineer Brigade; and prior to his current assignment, the Commander for the 1140th Engineer Battalion.Lieutenant Colonel Gargas has completed US Army Airborne School, Engineer Officer Basic Course, Master Fitness Trainer Course, Nuclear/Biological/Chemical Defense Course, Engineer Officer Advance Course, Combined Arms Services Staff School, Command and General Staff College, and recently graduated from the US Army War College with a Masters in Strategic Studies. He is a graduate of William Woods University with a Masters in Business Administration, and Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Major in Finance.
Lieutenant Colonel Gargas deployed in 2004-2005 as the Operations Officer (S3) with the 1140th Engineer Battalion in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II.
He has been the recipient of numerous Federal and State awards including the Meritorious Service Medal, 4 Army Commendation Medals, 3 Army Achievement Medals, 5 Army Reserve Component Achievement Medals, 2 National Defense Service Medals, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, 3 Humanitarian Service Medals, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M device and Silver Hourglass, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, 4 Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbons, and Parachutist Badge.
Lieutenant Colonel Gargas is the proud father of Nathan Gargas (Nate). He and his lovely wife Tina, reside in Dexter, Missouri."Ed compiled his speech from his 2011 speech, a 2014 Missouri National Guard Veterans Day talking points, and the 2014 American Legion Veterans Day talking points. His entire speech is posted below.
"On Veterans Day, we pause to honor and remember the men and women who have served during war and peace, defending our country and the American Way of life," Gargas began his address. "As a nation, we must never forget the debt we owe them for securing the many freedoms we often take for granted."
"We remember those who are part of our history and those who are presently serving to protect our future," Gargas continued. "Being a Service member was never an easy job, but the Service members in today's all-volunteer military chose to serve a cause greater than themselves; many made this decision knowing they may be sent in harm's way. For the past twelve years, they have endured multiple tours - protecting us from danger and giving others the opportunity to live life in security. Our military has proven itself in some of the most difficult environments this nation has ever faced. Our leaders at every level have displayed unparalleled ingenuity, flexibility, and adaptability. Our Service members have displayed mental and physical toughness, but most importantly, courage under fire. They have transformed the military into the most versatile, agile, rapidly deployable and sustainable strategic force the world has ever known.""I am so proud to be part of that military today, but especially today, I am proud I have the opportunity to serve with these great men and women."
"On Veterans day, I think about the 2.2 million men and women we have in uniform today. These men and women live by a professional ethos that asserts, 'We will not accept defeat.' I think about those learning to use prosthetic hands and legs, those learning to live without eyesight. I think about the lone sentinel standing watch at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a hurricane. Many veterans, like these, do remarkable things every day."
"These Service members do not see themselves as being brave or special; they just say they are doing their jobs. Many of our Service members have deployed multiple times and many who were injured during these deployments want to go back, not for a sense of revenge, but out of a sense of teamwork and duty. They fight for our security in an unsecured world, because that is what they promised they would do."
"Our democracy depends on the willingness of its finest men and women to step forward and to serve, to dedicate themselves to a greater cause, the cause of protecting our democracy. For more
than two centuries, the veterans of our nation have been willing to serve and to sacrifice for a country and a cause they love more than their own lives. This has not changed."
"You cannot fight a war without veterans and while the utopian idea of a society without war is appealing, let us not forget that wars have liberated slaves, stopped genocide and toppled terrorists."
"Stephen Ambrose once wrote, 'America’s wars have been like rungs on a ladder by which it rose to greatness. No other country has triumphed so long, so consistently or on such a vast scale through force of arms.”
"I recently watched a television documentary featuring veterans of World War II as they recalled their experiences of the D-Day landing at Normandy. These members of America’s “Greatest Generation” when asked whether there would ever be another great generation, replied forcefully and without hesitation: “Yes, the next great generation is serving today. Their sacrifices and their extraordinary dedication and courage are remarkable.”
"Just as Pearl Harbor and World War II defined a generation destined for greatness, so have the events of 9-11 and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The 9-11 generation includes more than FIVE million Americans who have served in uniform, Active, Guard and Reserve, over the past decade."
"The NINE ELEVEN generation includes those on duty on September 11, 2001 who quickly transitioned to war and the nearly THREE million Americans who have joined the military since. Many of the young people serving today were sitting in classrooms on that fateful day. Still knowing they would be sent in harm’s way, they raised their hands to serve the country."
"In contrast to earlier conflicts, the NINE ELEVEN generation is all volunteers. Everyone in today’s military has chosen to serve in a time of war. Afghanistan and Iraq mark the first time since the Revolutionary War that our nation has engaged in sustained conflicts fought entirely by volunteers. Never before has America asked so much of our all-volunteer force."
"The NINE ELEVEN generation has earned its place among the greatest of generations in U.S. history. Over the past 13 years, more than two million of our troops have served in the war zones, deploying more than TWO AND ONE HALF million times. Hundreds of thousands of troops have deployed multiple times. Our National Guardsmen and Reservists have completed an unprecedented number of deployments."
"It is amazing when you think about how much has changed in America and around the world since our nation’s founding, even in the last TEN years. We have overcome many challenges to become the most diverse and powerful nation in the world. Today we continue to face significant strategic challenges abroad, made more so by a globally interconnected world moving “at the speed of Twitter.”
"The key to this growth has always been the creative, unrelenting spirit of America. Faced with formidable adversaries, our resilient Service members have proven themselves as a generation of innovators. They adopted new tactics, mastered new languages and harnessed new technologies. Junior officers have taken on responsibilities once reserved for more senior commanders."
"Our Service members have not only had to defeat their enemies on the battlefield, they have excelled in political, economic and development tasks for which they often had little or no training, but which have been critical to their success."
"As we look back on the last 13 years and how the new “Great
Generation” has brought the military into the TWENTY FIRST century, we need to look toward the future and wonder where this “Great Generation” will take us next. This is a time like no other in history. It is a time of uncertainty and historic change. As operations shift from Iraq and Afghanistan, the future will dictate what our country will need the military to do. Just as earlier generations of Americans overcame great tests and turmoil, the NINE ELEVEN generation has risen to the challenges of our time, ensuring that America emerged even stronger. They will be the ones to bring the military through this period of uncertainty to be as good in 2024 as it is today."
"Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen and their families have served with honor, kept us safe, and earned the eternal gratitude of all Americans. As a nation, we will move forward with the same strength, unity and resilience that our Service members and their families display every day."
"Despite the enormous strains of 13 years of continuous operations, our military remains the strongest it has ever been. Thanks to the commitment and character of the NINE ELEVEN generation, we have the best-trained, best-led, best-equipped fighting force in history. We are going to maintain our military superiority so that our Service members can meet any mission and so we can keep America safe. Many of us in 2001 could not have imagined that in 13 years, we would have a completely transformed military, filled with men and women who have spent the bulk of their careers fighting two wars. As our country again faces the winds of change, I am confident that today’s military, one made up of the men and women of the NINE ELEVEN generation will rise to new heights over the next TEN years."
"In closing, to our Veterans-our service members of all ages-who have engaged in combat, stability, and humanitarian operations-we honor you. To those service members who paid the ultimate price or who are still missing or unaccounted for-we honor you by remembering the sacrifices you and your families made for our great nation."
"Today is a day of Honor and a day to Honor. On this day of celebration and reflection, I thank everyone who has worn a U.S. military uniform for their honorable service and for our freedom.
God bless you all for being here, God bless our veterans, and God bless America"
Pastor Ronnie stevens said the benediction and the firing of volley commenced. The Stoddard County Veterans Honor Guard fired while Taps was played.Special acknowledgments to the Stoddard County Veterans Honor Guard, American Legion Post 59 Honor Guard, Bloomfield Assistance League of the Missouri Veterans Cemetery, Bloomfield High School Band, Boy Scout Troop #58 Dexter, and the Hope Community Resource Center. Thank you for your continued support.
