Saluting veterans

Thank you for your service.

Middlesex Borough imparted that message to 116 active service and military veterans of various armed conflicts with the unveiling of the first Legacy Lawn on Saturday, Nov. 11.

The project involved the placement of signs picturing service members on the Middlesex Library’s front lawn to mark Veterans Day. The signs’ formal unveiling was marked with comments by several dignitaries.

The Legacy Lawn event was an opportunity to recognize Middlesex’s veterans, reflect on their sacrifice, and reminisce about the borough’s past.

The lawn project was spearhead by library director Chrissy George with the partnership of the American Legion and support from the library’s board of trustees and Borough Council.

George said the idea for the Legacy Lawn arose from discussions earlier this year between herself and reference librarian Kristin Bennett. “We wanted a creative way for our small and unique town to honor our active service veterans and our military,” George said.

There is no cost to the veteran or their family to be honored on a sign as it is picked up by the municipality. The library will begin accepting applications next April for additional signs. The intent is to continually add more of them to the lawn each year. The signs will be displayed until Dec. 11, placed in storage and then displayed again on Memorial Day weekend.

Mayor John Madden, library board president and former Police Chief Jim Benson, and Matt Adams, first vice commander of American Legion Post 306, offered comments about Veterans Day to the roughly 200 people who attended the ceremony.

Veterans Day is commemorated each year on Nov. 11, to mark the 11th day, 11th month and 11th hour in 1918 when the Armistice was signed ending World War I.

Adams, a lifelong borough resident, began his military service in the New Jersey Army National Guard in 1985. Thirty years later, he retired from the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps as a lieutenant colonel. He served two mobilizations after 9/11, the first in support of Operation Noble Eagle. The second in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Adams received numerous medals and commendations.

Adams noted that one of the American Legion’s duties is to perform a memorial service for a veteran who has passed on. At times, he lamented, the deceased’s family do not even realize they had served in the military.

“What I love about today’s ceremony,” Adams said, “is that we’re able to say thank you.” The placing of the Legacy Lawn signs, he added, is an expression of gratitude to all veterans.

Madden noted that many people around the world live under tyranny and oppression and without the freedom enjoyed in the United States. There has been a return of Cold War era world tensions, he said.

The mayor urged all to recognize Veterans Day and those who answered the call of duty to protect America’s way of life. Madden also recalled the words of President John F. Kennedy who urged others to show gratitude “not marked by the words we utter but by how we live by them.”

Benson said Middlesex Borough has “always had a great patriotic spirit” and that veterans deserve thanks, regardless of whether they have served during wartime or an era of peace.

“Serving in the military, even in peace time, is a sacrifice,” Benson said, “and should never be taken for granted.” He noted that peacetime service is also an act of courage, due to the potential for armed conflict to erupt at any time. “Peace time can turn into war time, at a moment’s notice,” he said.

After the ceremony, Adams reflected on the meaning of Veterans Day to someone who has served in the military. Events like the Legacy Lawn ceremony, he said, show gratitude to those who made the ultimate sacrifice or risked doing so.

In turn, that helps with recruiting, which is important when the nation has an all-volunteer military, Adams noted.

Adams said he’s sees a greater appreciation today for veterans than when he began his military service in 1985. He said terrorism fears in the wake of the 9/11 attacks contributed to that increased gratitude.

The 9/11 attacks resulted in reservists being called into service, increasing the likelihood of American citizens knowing someone actively serving. “It became much more closer to home,” Adams said.

The Legacy Lawn and Remembrance Ceremony were not the only Middlesex Borough recognition of Veterans Day. Our Lady of Mount Virgin Church placed American flags on the lawn in front of the Harris Avenue church to honor local military members, past and present.

That project was organized by OLMV’s Knights of Columbus Council No. 12700.