'We are proud to be veterans'

Department of Alabama American Legion family members congregated in downtown Birmingham to participate in the city’s 69th annual Veterans Day parade – the first of its kind in the country. Leading the Legion delegation was National Commander Charles E. Schmidt, who was honored with a plaque featuring the official seal of the city for speaking at a veterans award dinner Thursday evening.

“This is a day where America comes together to celebrate our freedom and democracy and to honor those who helped make that possible,” Schmidt said. “Veterans have invested in America through their military service, and today is a way of honoring those who have served and are serving, and also remember those who answered the final call, and those POW and MIAs who have yet to come home. It’s a great day.”

Legion family members traveled the parade route by float, vehicle or motorcycle, waving to the hundreds of community members that filled the sidewalks to thank them for their service.

“I just can’t imagine a Veterans Day parade without The American Legion. We are here to improve the lives of our veterans and their families and to make a difference in our communities,” said Donna Stacey, senior vice commander for the Department of Alabama.

The department’s participation in the parade is a reminder to the community that “The American Legion cares about our veterans, that we stand up and fight for our veterans and their families and this great nation,” said Willis Frazier, National Executive Committeeman for the Department of Alabama. “Veterans Day is a day where we remember all veterans who have stood up and vowed to defend this great nation. We are proud to be veterans.”

Several Legion family members spent the weeks leading up to the parade on designing and building their floats, which served as another reminder to the local community how The American Legion supports veterans, servicemembers and their families.

Members of Post, Squadron and Auxiliary 107 in Leeds, Ala., have won first place for their floats in years past, which consisted of a replica Tomb of the Unknowns and raising of the flag at Iowa Jima. This year, the post honored the 50-year anniversary of the Vietnam War by creating a replica river boat from the war with the saying, “Some left Vietnam, but Vietnam never left them.”

“We are very active Legion family members, and we are a close-knit family. We work together,” said Post 107 member Terry Robinslay. “This float is another reminder of our continued service to veterans, their families and the community.”

Post 171 Commander Anthony Crosby gave his Legion family team free rein for the design of their float, which was a replica of the Twin Towers and Pentagon on top of a hand-painted American flag with the saying, “In memory of many, in honor of all.”

“When you get out of the way, you get the result. When you get in the way, you hold up the progress,” Crosby said. “They did a wonderful job.”

Larry Taylor, a Squadron 171 member, said the float “represents the men and women who fought for our freedom and still fight for our freedom.”

Those who traveled the parade by vehicle still made The American Legion visibly aware to parade viewers – the vehicles were wrapped with each of the Legion family emblems and patriotic images. “This is the best business card you could ever have,” Stacey said. “When you’re driving down the road, people salute you.” She has also walked out to her vehicle only to find several people standing by to ask about VA benefits or the Legion.

For the Legion family as a whole, the Veterans Day parade represented a time to reflect on their service and the service of others.

“It’s an honor just to be in this parade. Being a veteran it’s remembering the past, the present and the future,” Crosby said. “I am proud to be a serviceman, proud to be here in this great country.”

As Veterans Day marked Schmidt’s departure from his visit to the Department of Alabama, which has involved visits to posts, the Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, and a Veterans Day memorial service and luncheon, he was leaving with the reminder that “everywhere you go in this great organization it’s nothing but good people, proud people, patriotic people,” he said. “People who care and are compassionate about veterans. It doesn’t get any better than that.”