The Lowell Veterans Council hosted its annual Veterans Day Ceremony at the Centralville Social Club this morning.  The event was very well attended with members of the city’s various veterans organizations, other veterans who were unaffiliated with any of these organizations, the Gold Star Wives & Mothers, government officials, and a contingent of Army ROTC cadets from UML.

The ceremony began with a speaking program that featured Bob Cronin (Commander of the Lowell Veterans Council), Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, State Representative Tom Golden, Mayor Bud Caulfield, and Master of Ceremonies Bob Page.  Cronin and Page spoke in glowing terms of the wonderful reception they received at Veterans Day events held yesterday in some of the city’s schools (the Butler and Daley).  Mayor Caulfield echoed these comments, saying he had also attended very moving ceremonies at Lowell High School and the Hellenic Academy. 

Congresswomen Tsongas began by asking everyone to remember those who died this week at Fort Hood and to remember all who have worn the uniform of the United States military.  She said that those who serve in Washington must remember those who are serving and have served with meaningful legislation.  She cited the new GI Bill, the elimination of shortfalls in veterans health care, and a bill which she sponsored that was just signed by the President last week that would speed the distribution of light-weight body armor to troops about to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan.  In his remarks, Tom Golden assured everyone that he and his colleagues on Beacon Hill are doing everything they can to make Massachusetts first in the nation for the care it provides to military veterans.

The speaking program was followed by a delicious brunch and a short ceremony outside at a memorial “In honor of our Massachusetts heroes who have made the supreme sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan.  This service consisted of the placement of a wreath, the firing of a salute by the honor guard, and the playing of taps.  The photo above shows the UML ROTC cadets and Veterans Council Commander Bob Cronin saluting during the playing of taps.  (UML has its own Air Force ROTC program, but approximately 20 students are involved in Army ROTC; they take Military Science classes on the Lowell campus but are affiliated along with other feeder schools with the Army program at Worcester Politechnic Institute). 

During the ceremony, the traffic on nearby Lakeview Ave came to a respectful halt which was fortunate since, when the rifle salute was fired, the enormous but very docile-seeming dog pictured below got so spooked by the gunfire that he dragged his owner across the street like they were shot out of a cannon.  At last report, they were near the Dracut line.