By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — Vietnam War veteran Peter N. Rayner said this country provides unprecedented freedoms and opportunities but they’re not free; the rent always comes due.
"People in the armed forces always come through," the Montgomery resident who once served as the township’s business administrator, said. "They paid the rent, continue to pay the rent and will pay the rent in the future. God bless them."
During Montgomery Township’s Veterans Day ceremony, Mr. Rayner said, "Service is the rent we pay for being on this planet."
The ceremony began with Montgomery police Capt. James Curry playing "Amazing Grace" on bagpipes at the Montgomery Veterans Memorial. Then, there was a procession lead by Montgomery Township Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 Color Guard and featuring the Montgomery High School Marching Band, Montgomery Emergency Medical Services and both Volunteer Fire Companies No. 1 and No. 2 down Harlingen Road toward the memorial site.
Boy Scout Troop 850 presented the colors and the marching band performed the national anthem.
In his remarks, Bob Kress, co-chair of Montgomery Veterans Memorial Committee, said Veterans Day is a very personal day.
"It is a day that defines who we are to the rest of the world," Mr. Kress said, adding that there are 23.2 million military veterans in the United States.
The second featured speaker was also a veteran who lives in Montgomery — Col. Emil H. Philibosian, who is the deputy commissioner for veterans affairs for New Jersey.
Col. Philibosian enlisted in the Army in 1968 and rose to the rank of specialist 5. He received his commission as a second lieutenant through officer candidate school at Fort Benning, Ga., in 1969. His first assignment was as commander of the 52nd Pathfinder Detachment, Republic of Vietnam, from 1969 to 1970.
Upon his return to the United States, Col. Philibosian served as the assistant operations and training officer at Fort Hamilton, N.Y. After being honorably discharged in 1971, Col. Philibosian served in the Army Reserve from 1971 to 1980.
He encouraged those in attendance to do whatever they could do to give veterans credit and "thank them from the bottom of our hearts."
Mayor Rich Smith also spoke, saying those who serve have courage, pride, determination, selflessness, dedication to duty and integrity.
"These are all of the qualities needed to serve a cause larger than the self," the mayor said.
He added he was pleased Montgomery could join the ocean of pride flowing across the country on Veterans Day and that people should take the time on any given day to thank veterans for their service.
