As featured speaker at the annual “Celebrate Veterans Day” event, Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser III, commander, U.S. Transportation Command, thanked more than 350 guests for either their military service or support of the military community.
The event, hosted Thursday by the Missouri Athletic Club and the Rotary Club of St. Louis, provided the opportunity for Fraser to recognize the individual contributions of active service members and veterans, as well as the support provided by the community and commercial industry for military members and their families.
“The nation owes a great debt to its veterans, whose service to the nation spans every year…every season of our country’s existence,” said Fraser. “They understood…and still understand…that freedom is earned by every generation, or it will perish.”
Fraser asked for a moment of silence to honor Army First Sgt. Billy Siercks, a soldier from Lincoln, Mo., being laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery as he spoke, as well as all of the local military members who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation.
Fraser then spoke to the hardships that not only servicemembers face, but the trials their families undergo while they are protecting Americans’ “most precious and fundamental right — freedom.” Of current soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, Fraser said, “There is no group of people at any time or any place more capable of confronting the challenges that lie before us.”
Finally, in conjunction with “Celebrate Veterans Day” hosts, Fraser recognized three local companies — Prudential Financial, Edward Jones and Express Scripts — with Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve awards for their personnel policies and ongoing efforts to support service members.
While the name of the observance has changed from “Armistice Day” to “Veterans Day,” Fraser noted, “the purpose is still the same…it’s about remembering, it’s about honoring those who have died and thanking those who are with us.”
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