While most of the speakers chose to find their way behind the lectern inside the physical education center at Rowan College at Gloucester County on Veterans Day morning, 52-year-old James T. Adams chose to use the open space in between that spot and the crowd.
He marched back and forth like a drill sergeant. He spoke with conviction.
The retired sergeant major’s voice and energy carried through the crowd of a hundred or so people sans microphone without a problem.
Adams was among those who spoke at Gloucester County’s annual Veterans Day ceremony, an event equal parts reverence and patriotism that featured the Semper Fidelis Color Guard, Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, and speeches from Senate President Steve Sweeney, Congressman Donald Norcross, Adams and others.
During his speech, Adams, the event’s official guest speaker, described the military’s many branches like the members of a family inside a home: everyone has their own differences and traits that make them an individual, but at the end of the day, they’re all together in the same house.
“We’re a family, we’re all tied together,” said Adams, a 1984 West Deptford High School graduate who served in the Marines from 1987 to 2017. “It doesn’t matter if you served one year, two years, four years – it’s the impact in itself. It’s the selfless sacrifice of service.”
Joe McConomy, a Washington Township resident and Army veteran, has been coming to the Gloucester County Veterans Day event for 33 years. He remembers a time when veterans weren’t treated as well as they were at this year’s ceremony.
“When I got home from Vietnam, we were treated like dirt,” the 78-year-old said.
But he was more than appreciative of the event his home county has held for veterans yearly and the respect his fellow “brothers” have for each other.
“It’s always been that way, always been a band of brothers,” McConomy said. “I appreciate what they’re doing today, it means a lot. They always have a nice ceremony.”
Some of the guest speakers spoke about that brotherhood. Others talked about family, honor and dedication. Some told stories about the importance of the American Flag as a symbol of the military’s spirit and strength.
Giuseppe (Joe) Chila, in his seventh year as the deputy director of Gloucester County freeholders, was the master of ceremonies.
“It’s an unbelievable and humbling experience to stand in front of these great men and women who have served our country so proudly and to be able to honor them,” Chila said. “Our board of freeholders does a great job every day, we consider every day Veterans Day with the services we try to provide to them, including this facility, this college. Not serving in the military, it’s truly humbling to be able to do my part to help them transition when they came back home and provide the best they can for their families.”
John Ryder serves as the director of student and veteran affairs at Rowan College at Gloucester County. He quoted president George Washington while introducing Adams (“The willingness with which our people are likely to serve in any war no matter how justified shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by our nation.”) and spoke about the importance of honoring veterans daily, too.
“We need to remember our veterans, thank them when you get the opportunity, and just live by your words to thank them,” said Ryder, a Clayton resident who served in the Coast Guard. “I’m a combat veteran myself, so my drive and compassion is from my personal experience. And what I believe in is more or less take care of our veterans where you can. I’m not saying everyone needs to donates thousands of dollars, but if you can shop for somebody, if you can help – the small things make a big difference to a guy or a girl. Just saying thank you sometimes is enough to cheer somebody up. A lot of the stuff that these guys see and deal with, sometimes even a little camaraderie helps out.”
On a day that’s set aside specifically to celebrate those who served and honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of their country, that camaraderie was palpable before, during and after the Veterans Day ceremony.
“It’s reaffirming that the county supports you wholeheartedly,” Adams said. “That in itself, it’s like a blanket, it’s very warming and heartfelt.”
