Brandywine Senior Living at Princeton held a special Veterans Day Recognition honoring 23 of the resident veterans on Monday afternoon.
By Azra Baig, Special Writer
Brandywine Senior Living at Princeton held a special Veterans Day Recognition honoring 23 of the resident veterans on Monday afternoon..
South Brunswick Mayor Frank Gambatese, and Lt. Col. George P. Wilcha of the Princeton University Army ROTC Program along with cadets from the program participated in the Veterans Day Recognition.
Lt. Col. Wilcha talked about being thankful to veterans for our freedoms and how many Americans take these freedoms for granted.
”We wake up each day in safety, free to live our lives how we see fit,” he said. “We do not wake to religious persecution, or being held within our countries borders, not being allowed to venture from home.”
He said his service to the country started in 1976 at age 18 when he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and later served in the U.S. Army.
He said he served in Kuwait from 2008-2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He said he has been with the Princeton University ROTC Program since January 2012 and this was his first time participating at a Veterans Day Recognition at a Senior Living Facility.
He said today’s event was a very rewarding experience especially for the Cadets who are not used to being around much older veterans who have served in World War II and who have disabilities.
He then read a letter written by a veteran, the Rev. Denis Edward O’Brien, a former Marine, titled, “What is a Veteran?”
An excerpt from the letter read, “He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being-a person who offered some of his life’s most vital years in the service of his country and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.”
Lt. Col. Wilcha said he had to catch is breath and hold back his tears several times while he read the letter because it was so emotional for him.
During the event, the cadets handed out hats for the veteran residents specific to the military branch they served in.
The Cadets also spent time with the veteran residents discussing their experiences in their service to the United States of America.
Mayor Gambatese, a veteran who served in the U.S. Air Force in the Korean War, thanked all the soldiers that have served.
He said he read a book recently which stated 500,000 men and women who have served in Afghanistan have returned back to the United States with Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD), which not only affects the soldiers but also their families.
”We need to thank them anytime we see them and pray for them and their families.”, said Mayor Frank Gambatese.
He said he knew many of the people at the Brandywine Senior Living facility since his son, John Gambatese, is a resident at the facility.
Stanley Hoffman, 88, a World War II Army veteran and resident at the facility, also read a letter to the audience.
He talked about his experience as a soldier and how he would like to be remembered when he dies.
Stephanie Gaber, Program Director of the Brandywine Senior Living facility, organized the Veterans Day RecognitionShe said she has organized a recognition on Veterans Day for the last eight years and this was the first time members from the Princeton University ROTC were included.
She said this event was “heart touching” for her and that she has an emotional connection with the veteran residents.