More than 100 combat veterans gathered at The Boulders at Lake Tyler on Wednesday, Veterans Day, as the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce held a lunch and ceremony to thank the men and women who served.
The event brought veterans, their families and community members together for a few hours of gratitude, reflection and reconnecting with old friends.
Keynote Speaker: “The People Behind the Uniform”
Master Sergeant Natalie Gorman, who served 21 years in the Marine Corps, gave the keynote speech.
She told the crowd that Veterans Day means more than a date on the calendar, a flag or a moment of silence. She said it’s really about recognizing “the people behind the uniform.”
A Day to Reflect and Reconnect
Paul Gray was in the audience. He is an Army sergeant who deployed to Iraq twice, and he now serves as Tyler’s VFW Commander.
Gray said veterans took an oath to protect their country and do whatever the military asked of them. Now that they’ve finished that service, he said, Veterans Day gives them time to reflect and to reach out to the battle buddies they served with.
Erin Whitney, co-chair of the Chamber’s Veterans Committee, retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel after 21 and a half years in uniform.
She said it means a lot to see the community come together to say thank you. To her, it shows that her years of service were worth something and mattered to people.
More Than Just “Thank You”
Gorman ended her speech with a challenge for everyone in the room. She asked people to make sure that when they say “thank you for your service,” their actions back up those words.
She encouraged the community to support veteran-owned businesses and to help veterans find jobs, housing, health care and other resources they need.