Honoring, Remembering Veterans at Serenity Meadows Memorial Park

RIVERVIEW – The temperature may have been low but spirits were high as people came together Friday morning, Nov. 11, to pay tribute to veterans.

The Veterans Day observance was held at Serenity Meadows Memorial Park in Riverview.

After the welcome from Serenity Meadows’ Stacy Adams, Michael Whitt, commander of AMVETS Post 44, reminded those in attendance why Veterans Day is important.

His voice shaking, visibly overcome with emotion, Whitt retold a portion of the book, “Get It On! What It Means to Lead the Way” by Army Staff Sgt. Keni Thomas, whom he had the chance to hear speak. Thomas, an Army Ranger, was part of the team that went to Mogadishu, Somalia, and survived the incident that would later be known as Black Hawk Down, a battle that lasted two days, took 19 lives and wounded an additional 78 soldiers.

Thomas retold a portion of the book that recounts the mission to save the crew of the downed Black Hawk helicopter. Two of the men involved in the mission to save the crew perished and went on to receive the Medal of Honor.

After hearing Thomas speak, Whitt had Thomas sign his copy of the book. Whitt said under Thomas’s signature, he inscribed Isaiah 6:8, which reads “Then I heard the Lord asking whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!' "

Whitt ended his time by talking of the blank check that military men and women write to the United States in defense of the country.

“Thank you for serving our country,” Whitt said to the veterans in attendance. “Thank you for supporting the very brave men and women who serve our country today.”

The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) of Riverview High School presented the colors, and a rousing chorus of the Star Spangled Banner was performed. Boy Scout Troop 110 led in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Father Jose George, of in Valrico, provided the invocation by saying, in part, “Lord of peace, we pray for those who have served our nation and have laid down their lives to protect and fend our freedom. We pray for those who have fought, whose spirit and bodies are scarred by war, whose nights are haunted by memories too painful for the light of day. We pray for those who serve us now, shield them from danger and bring them home.”

After the prayer the Riverview High School Visions Choir performed two patriotic songs that paved the way for the featured speaker, Col. Lou Ramos.

Ramos, retired from the United States Air Force, is the owner and CEO of Value Enterprise Solutions Inc. The mission of the company is to provide information technology services and professional training to federal, state and industrial organizations.

Ramos reiterated the timely slogan “freedom is never free” and then illustrated that point through speaking of a painting that hangs between the third and fourth floors in the United States Pentagon. It was in 1989 that Col. Colin Powell, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke to the service chiefs about the moving painting that depicts the inside of a church with bright sunlight streaming through a stained glass window. Alone in the church, a family kneels as the altar. There is a mother, a young daughter and son and a father in military uniform. The portrait gives the sense that the family is praying one last time before father is deployed. The scripture from Isaiah 6:8 is inscribed beneath the portrait.

“Those simple words of Isaiah serve as a constant reminder of a pledge made by each of our young soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guard who answer, ‘Here I am send me,’ ” Ramos said. “We ask you to sacrifice for your country and we receive in return, peace, freedom and security.”

Once veterans return home from serving their country, it is up to all Americans to work throughout the year to make sure veteran’s needs are fulfilled, Ramos said. Remembering troops that left the country and did not live to be thanked as veterans, Ramos said they deserve to be honored. He also said that disabled veterans should not have to encounter foot dragging and buck passing to receive much needed services. 

Ramos said there are soldiers who left this country and did not live to be thanked as veterans.

“We think of families that lost loved ones, we pray for their comfort,” Ramos said. “We remember the men and be women in uniform whose fate is still undetermined, the prisoners of war, those missing in action. We must never stop searching until we have accounted for each of them.”

Adams returned to give closing remarks and was followed by Father George, who gave a closing prayer. The morning ended with a solo of “Let there be Peace on Earth” by Deanne Macchio of Riverview United Methodist Church.

After the event, Tom Brinegar approached and thanked a retired Marine in his dress uniform. Brinegar, a Marine who served 20 years, said Veterans Day is important to our country's history.

“It’s a time for us to reflect on our past and our future,” said Brinega, who attended with his three school-aged children. “It’s sacrifice that makes this country great.”

Adams said the Serenity Meadows has been honoring the Veterans Day service since 2001.

“This is important to us,” Adams said. “We honor not only our veterans today but the families that sacrifice when their military family members serve our country.”

Angel Marin served in the Army for 21 years. He recently formed the Latin Soldiers, a motorcycle group that supports veterans.

“The military is made up of 1 percent of our population that served 100 percent of the people,” Marin said. “It’s because of our veterans who sacrifice that we have the freedom we do in this country.”