The City of La Junta and American Legion Post No. 9 joined forces with Boy Scout Troop 232, the second grade chorus from La Junta Primary School and the La Junta High School Band to honor veterans Tuesday at the La Junta Senior Center.
American Legion Post No. 9 Commander Jay Scott served as master of ceremonies. The LJHS band played the "Star Spangled Banner" as the colors were presented by the American Legion Color Guard. Troop 232 Boy Scouts joined Scott in leading the Pledge of Allegiance. Pastor Rex Williams delivered the invocation, followed by opening remarks by La Junta Mayor Lynn Horner, who thanked all the veterans for their service. Scott asked all the veterans to stand and the Boy Scout Troop 232 representatives passed out a Certificate of Appreciation to each veteran.
The American Legion address was delivered by Virgil Bragg, adjutant of Post No. 9, who made the case for veterans' rights. Our debt to the heroes who serve can never be repaid, nor should we ever forget our veterans. All were urged to hire veterans and support them otherwise by visiting hospitals and supporting veterans' associations. Less than 1 percent defend the entire population, Bragg pointed out.
Mary Belew directed rousing versions of all the service songs, followed by "It's a Small World After All." All of the songs were delivered with suitable choreography and great enthusiasm by the second graders. It should be noted that they were the background for the entire service, standing up like troopers through the first half, but allowed to sit through the last speaker's presentation. They did not leave until the end and behaved themselves very well.
Vicky Bosley, a Gold Star mother, gave a moving talk about her son. She came from a military family and was happy that her son decided to go into the service right out of high school, recruited in his senior year. He served one year in Iraq safely, but was killed by a roadside bomb during his second tour. Her talk poignantly reminded us all how hard it is to lose a child, a husband, a father. Nevertheless, she was glad he served his country and glad she had raised him like a soldier.
Speaker of the day was James Horner, a retired Chief Master Sergeant (E-9) who was in the Air Force. One of his tours of duty was in La Junta, and he and his wife liked La Junta so well they retired here. Most of the men in his family had served in the armed forces, and he appreciated the respect for the military he found in La Junta. He quoted John F. Kennedy, who said, "The importance is not to utter words, but to live by them." He felt La Juntans lived by their respect, the only community he had ever lived in that had a military affairs committee in its city government.

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