Veterans Honored at Roosevelt Center

More than 50 residents and guests gathered at Roosevelt Center at 10 a.m. to honor the men and women who served in wars for Veterans Day ceremony Thursday.

Greenbelt American Legion Post 136 Commander Kathleen Linkenhoker served as master of ceremonies at the event hosting District 4 County Councilwoman Ingrid Harrison, District 22 Maryland State Delegate Anne Healey, Mayor J. Davis, Mayor pro-tem Emmett Jordan and councilmembers Konrad Herling, Leta Mach, Ed Putens and Rodney Roberts.

The colors were presented by Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps members from , who could not stay because they had to get back to class.

Healey gave a moving speech thanking the veterans for their hard work and took a moment to honor her nephew who is currently serving in Iraq due to return Dec. 11.

"I think there are a lot of similarities with new and old veterans," Linkenhoker said, she herself is a Navy veteran. "I think the main difference is the technical and medial advancements because now soldier come home severely injured and don't die overseas. There are also so many programs now, it's like everyone is together."

The mayor, participating in her thirteenth year as a Veterans Day ceremony speaker, also had several words to say about veterans from the Great War and now, but mostly wanted to focus on saying "thank you."

"This is something I just started in the past couple of years. I started with World War II survivors, just noticing how touched they were for someone younger than them come up and say 'thank you,' it was so simple, but it meant a lot to them," she said.

She then added, as she walked to her car to head to the post-ceremony luncheon at the American Legion, that she need to call her father, a World War II veteran, and tell him thank you.

The speeches were followed by a prayer by Post 136 Chaplain Sam Hofberg, then the playing of "Taps" and finally a gun salute then everyone dispersed and headed to the American Legion for a buffet luncheon.