SMYRNA, Georgia — On Veterans Day, while the nation remains at war, freedom will prevail because of the men and women who serve.
That was the message of United States Air Force Major General George Harrison, who spoke during a Veterans Day ceremony in downtown Smyrna.
“Americans in uniform are still fighting and dying on foreign lands, the Persian Gulf and the Middle East,” Harrison said. “Members of our Armed Forces continue the tradition of the heroes who served before them. They’re providing security in those troubled areas so that people can live in peace, free of oppression and brutality.
“The war on terrorism will likely last many years,” Harrison added. “Our enemy is determined to destroy America and all she stands for, just as the Axis powers were determined to destroy American forces during World War Two and the communists of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. But the forces of freedom will prevail. We know they will because our servicemen and women continue to serve with distinction.”
Veterans of multiple of the nation’s wars, including the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the ongoing War on Terror, attended the ceremony held at the Veterans Memorial. However, the human toll has been high for many veterans.
“Many continue to receive treatment from battlefield injuries and mental trauma they suffered in battles so long ago that we’ve forgotten their names, but they don’t forget,” Harrison said. “Our nation rose to greatness on the strength of their service, and their stories are part of the fabric of our nation’s history. Because of their sacrifices, we’re free to live, to work, to raise our families as we please, and as we saw last week, to vote in freedom and secrecy.
“…Veterans Day is a day to honor not only the greatest generation but the latest generation, those who are … now defending our way of life,” Harrison said. “And I can tell you, working with our nation’s youth, we can be proud of our latest generation of heroes. A few years ago, many wondered whether young people had the right stuff, the fortitude to face the world’s toughest challenge. As we look at those faces [of students participating in the ceremony], I’m convinced that they do have the right stuff.”