Author: Marty Willett
Date: 11/23/2011 8:16 pm EDT
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Col. Hawkins Salute To All Veterans - Fort Hawkins 11/11/11
Today I have the privilege as Col. Benjamin Hawkins to participate in one of our Nation’s most noble of all national celebrations – Veterans Day – and it is indeed a celebration, not just another holiday as too many may view it – but today is a day of celebrating the dedication to duty and service to country that generations of American Veterans have displayed. Today we honor and salute all of these heroic veterans with deep gratitude and enduring praise!
And what better place to have this observance than at the very place the first veterans would serve in Middle GA over 200 years ago at historic Fort Hawkins?! My namesake fort, which I helped birth, is considered the birthplace of Macon and thus Middle GA – where I hear everyday is Armed Forces Appreciation Day – as it should be with the proud military tradition found here stretching back to the American Revolution and into the Outer Space with Astronaut Sonny Carter.
I served under the original 13 starred flag as a Junior Officer on Gen. George Washington’s Revolutionary War Staff. Fort Hawkins flew the 15 star spangled banner that you see flying today from our Second War of Independence and as both U.S. Army and GA Militia Hqtrs., Fort Hawkins was of great significance during that War of 1812.
No matter how many stars our veterans have served under, their service to their country has insured our “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” has continued and prospered. Today we salute all of our nation’s veterans – past, present and future - that have made the American dream possible . We should thank them and their equally devoted families daily for this service and on this special day we salute them with honor and pride.
I will also have the honor today of physically committing these American flags to the flame in this solemn yet joyous ceremony. Our 13 flags symbolically represent our original 13 states and each patriotic group in the retirement ceremony collectively represents all the veterans that have served our great Nation so well through the ages. Today we Salute all of these Veterans with thankful hearts and continued blessings – God Bless you all for attending, God Bless America and God Bless all of America’s Veterans!!
Marty Willett as Col. Benjamin Hawkins 11/11/11
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