American Legion
Eugene J. Pacetta Post 522
 Monroe Twp New Jersey

08831
      American Legion Eugene J. Pacetta Post 522  Monroe Twp  New Jersey   08831
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    • Sept 2021 News letter
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    • July 2021 News letter
    • June 2021 News letter
  • Pictures of Post Events
    • Memorial day celebration at Monroe village
    • Veterans Day celebration at Monroe Township Senior Center
    • Ttribute for Vetran's Day at Parker Adult Day Center
    • 2018 3th District AL Oratorical Contest Winner
    • Bus trip to Lyons & Veterns Haven North
    • 2017 Boys State at HS
    • 2017 Post Oratorical Contest Winner
    • Coloring Contest Winners
    • Donations for Homeless Veterans
    • Post donation of items to Menlo Park Veterans home
    • Post Commander swearing in to office and other post events
    • Veteran's Day Activities
    • St. Cecillia's Veterans Day Ceremony
    • Saint Peters Day Care
    • Post Oratorical Contest Winner
    • Gifts to Lyons Hospital
  • Speeches Post Commander
    • Veterans Day Nov. 11, 2021
    • Speech Presented on Memorial Day May 27, 2019 Nov 11, 2018
    • Speech Presented y for Vietnam war Veterans April 15, 2019
    • Veterans Day Speech Nov. 11, 2019
    • Speech Presented Veteran Day Nov 11, 2018
  • Directions
  • Contact the Post
 
VETERANS DAY SPEECH 
NOV. 11, 2021

A woman  I know  discovered that    I had   been in  the   military, and  with    a combination of  distress
and  disdain in  her   voice, she exclaimed, “You  were  in  the  military!” “I  can’t  imagine  you   doing
that.”  “Why  were  you   in  the  military?” What  she meant was,    “how can   I be one  of  them.” I 
gave  some  thought  to  her   remarks and  particularly her   discomfort with    me   having been  in  the  
military.  I wondered, “what  goes  on  in  the   minds of  people that    lead    them to  think  as  she was    
thinking.”
Well,  it  is  easy   to  view men    and  women who   were in  the  service as  being  different  from  those
who   were not.  People  in  the   military wear  uniforms, carry  equipment, ride  in  vehicles, etc.    that
are   clearly different  from  civilians.  Also,  on  television, movies,  news,  and  print  media,  soldiers
and  marines are   often  depicted  as  being  like   “Rambo” or  “John  Wayne.” Even  now,  much  of  
the  attention is  directed at  our  special forces  with    their camouflage attire,  arsenal  of  weapons,
and  combat activities. Except  for   holidays such    as  Christmas, Veterans  Day,    and  Memorial Day,    
the  medias’ portrayal  of  people in  the  military is  sensationalized. Based  on  these  images  from
the  media, non-veterans may    get   the  perception that    people in  the  military can   be cruel, overly
aggressive, hard    drinkers, violent,  destructive, and  dangerously out  of  control. However, we   
veterans,  our  families and  friends, and  the  families of  those  currently  in  service or  have  served
in  the  past, know  that    these depictions are   the  exception, not   the  rule. Nonetheless, that    is  the  
reference  many  civilians  get   and  therefore develop  about  those  in  uniform. So,   I can   see   how   
she could  think,  “I  can’t  imagine  you   doing that.”
The  thought, “How  can   I be one  of  them,” also   begs the  question? What  does  a veteran look    
like   or  what does  a veteran do?    When  I look    around, I see   ordinary citizens  going  about  their
lives,  taking  care    of  their families,  holding  responsible positions  at  their  place  of  employment or
in  their  businesses. On  the  surface, veterans  conduct  themselves the  same  as  everyone else.
We   are   indistinguishable from  the  rest   of  the   adult community. Unless  you   specifically ask,    you   
wouldn’t  know  that    your   clergy, politician, first   responder, realtor,  company vice   president,
photographer, insurance salesman, physician, etc.    are   veterans.
But  most  importantly, what  makes  a person  enter  the  military? There  are   as  many reasons  for   
being  in  the  military as  there  are   veterans. For   many, it  was    an  opportunity to  experience the  ​
world  outside  of  their  community or  to  obtain employment. For   others, it  was    a feeling of  
patriotic  duty.  Again,  there  are   countless reasons  for   people to  choose to  be  in  the  military.
However,  there  is  an  underlying common  thread  tying  together  all   who   serve or  served in  the  
military.  It  begins  with    the  primary mission  of  the  military. That    mission is  to  protect our  
nation,  our  community, and  our  families from  threats  wherever they    may    arise. Everyone in  
the  military took    an  oath    to  do their part    in  fulfilling this   mission. And  everyone in  all  of  the  
branches  of  the  armed services  received  training  to  enable us to  do whatever we   were  called  to
do,   including sacrificing ourselves for   the  benefit of  all   Americans. That    doesn’t make  veterans
better  than    non-veterans. It  only    means that,  by enrolling in  the  military, we   have  agreed  to  a 
specific  role   in  safeguarding our  nation and  our  democratic way    of  life. Thanks  to  the  good
wishes  and  support of  many  in  the  general population, we   who   served in  uniform are   
reminded, on  this   Veterans Day,    that    we   are   who   we   believe we   are,    noble warriors  who   served
our  country in  whatever capacity  that    entailed. So  yes,   I am  proud to  be one  of  them.
Jack    Kirschenbaum                                                                                                  Commander
American  Legion  Post   522                                                                                        
Monroe  Twp,  NJ
Unaffiliated Veterans , please  consider  joining  Monroe  Township's Veteran  organizations:
Residents  of  Stonebridge, Renaissance, and  Rossmoor can   join   the   Veterans club  in  their
communities. In  addition, residents of  Monroe and  surrounding areas  can   join   the  Korean War    
Veterans  Chapter  148,    Jewish War    Veterans Post   609,    and  American Legion  Post   522.     There are
no restrictions as  to  when you   served in  the  military.​

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  • home
  • Membership
  • About us
  • Post News Letter
    • Schedule of Post Meeting
    • February 2022 News Letter
    • March 2022 News Letter
    • December 2021 News Letter
    • November 2021 News Letter
    • October 2021 News Letter
    • Sept 2021 News letter
    • August 2021 News letter
    • July 2021 News letter
    • June 2021 News letter
  • Pictures of Post Events
    • Memorial day celebration at Monroe village
    • Veterans Day celebration at Monroe Township Senior Center
    • Ttribute for Vetran's Day at Parker Adult Day Center
    • 2018 3th District AL Oratorical Contest Winner
    • Bus trip to Lyons & Veterns Haven North
    • 2017 Boys State at HS
    • 2017 Post Oratorical Contest Winner
    • Coloring Contest Winners
    • Donations for Homeless Veterans
    • Post donation of items to Menlo Park Veterans home
    • Post Commander swearing in to office and other post events
    • Veteran's Day Activities
    • St. Cecillia's Veterans Day Ceremony
    • Saint Peters Day Care
    • Post Oratorical Contest Winner
    • Gifts to Lyons Hospital
  • Speeches Post Commander
    • Veterans Day Nov. 11, 2021
    • Speech Presented on Memorial Day May 27, 2019 Nov 11, 2018
    • Speech Presented y for Vietnam war Veterans April 15, 2019
    • Veterans Day Speech Nov. 11, 2019
    • Speech Presented Veteran Day Nov 11, 2018
  • Directions
  • Contact the Post