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Veterans gather to honor freedom and the fallen

Nov-12-2005 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

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By MARGARET FRIEDENAUER, The News-Miner

Col. James Horton voiced his concern at the age of his audience during Veterans Day events at Friday at the Alaska Centennial Center for the Arts.
"I hate to say I'm preaching to the choir, but I am," Horton said as he looked out on a graying audience.

Many in audience were older than 40 and many of the veterans in attendance served during the Vietnam War and World War II eras. They were present Friday to commemorate Veterans Day at a time when thousands of local soldiers are deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

The crowd listened to speakers, including Horton, vice commander of the 354th Fighter Wing at Eielson Air Force Base, and Col. Bob Ball, deputy commander of U.S. Army Alaska

Ball spoke about the more than 3,000 soldiers from the Fort Wainwright Army Post deployed overseas and how Veterans Day has taken on a more significant meaning for many soldiers and their families.

"It means a lot more this year," Ball said.


But Horton noted that there were few young people or veterans in the audience and that in the four years since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, the country may have become complacent about freedom once again.

"Whether our country has lost focus again, I'm not sure," he said.

But there were at least a few people in attendance who exemplify how the military and recent world events have affected the younger generations.

Petra Jardine and her 8-year-old daughter, Mia, were some of the few who stood when master of ceremonies Lt. Col. David Dean asked if there were any families of deployed soldiers in the audience.

Jardine's husband, Staff Sgt. Brandon Jardine, is in Iraq with the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team support battalion, DC Company. Jardine is a self-proclaimed Army brat, who said she grew up in the Veterans of Foreign Wars post and is a lifelong member of the Ladies Auxiliary. [...]


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