Veterans Day Ceremony - Veterans Memorial Park 2024-11-11
VETERANS DAY CEREMONY – NOVEMBER 11, 2024
Ceremony at Berlin Veterans Memorial Park on Veterans Way
(Berlin, CT) – This year's Veterans Day Ceremony will be on Monday, November 11th and will start at 11:00 AM at the Berlin Veterans Memorial Park on Veterans Way. (51 Lower Ln, Berlin, CT 06037 on GPS)
Veterans Day is a national holiday in which we show appreciation to those who have served their country in the armed forces. The holiday dates back to 1919. It was originally called Armistice Day, and its date celebrates the German surrender that ended the First World War. In 1954, Congress amended the holiday to be known as Veterans Day to honor all of America's Veterans.
On the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month, we pause to honor America’s Veterans and celebrate their contributions to our way of life. Few have given more to our Nation than the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces in peace and in war. So, on this day we want to ensure veterans know that we deeply appreciate the sacrifices they have made in their lives to keep our country free.
The Berlin High School Madrigal Singers, directed by Tyler Boyle, will sing the National Anthem and America the Beautiful. Members of the Berlin High School Saxophone Quartet, directed by Christopher Dresko, will play a Military Service Songs Melody and two Trumpeters, Evan Paone & Maggie Yantz, will play Taps.
There will be a Joint Color Guard by the members of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 10732, and members of the American Legion Post 68.
This year’s guest speaker is CTDVA Commissioner Ron Welch, Brigadier General (Ret.).
Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner, Brigadier General (Ret.) Ron Welch is a graduate of East Lyme High School where he was an extremely competitive athlete in Football, Wrestling and Crew at the local, state, and national level.
Upon returning from a combat tour to Afghanistan he was inducted into the ELHS Football Hall of Fame.
Ron served full-time in U.S. Army as an Airborne Ranger, including 3 trips to Panama, one was part of Operation Promote Liberty, 17 Worldwide Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercises with 2nd Battalion, 75th Airborne Rangers stationed at Fort Lewis, WA.
In May of 1981, he was involved in a severe in-line of duty parachute accident. After a medevac flight, he received extensive medical intervention, physical therapy, and several surgeries.
He next served as an officer, full-time in the Connecticut National Guard totaling over 39 years of combined service. During that time, he was also involved in several Homeland Security missions protecting critical Infrastructure and Severe Weather Emergency responses.
He held 28 key staff and command assignments, completed 37 military schools from the tactical level to strategic level including U.S Army War College completing a master’s degree in strategic studies.
He is Level III Joint Service Qualified and completed the US NORTHERN Command Dual Status Commander Certification program. Ron also completed a master’s degree at Eastern Connecticut University.
Some of Ron’s awards include the Legion of Merit, The Soldiers Medal, The Bronze Star Medal, 4 Meritorious Service Medals, 9 Army Commendations Medals, the Afghan Campaign Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Infantryman’s, Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Air Assault Badge, Canadian and Israeli Parachute Badge and CT Medal of Valor.
Ron’s eldest son Stephen is also a 2-time Combat Veteran of Afghanistan and 1 deployment to Africa. Stephen presently serves as a Captain and Physician Assistant in the Active Guard Reserve program for the CT National Guard. He previously was a PA at Yale Emergency department. He also has a daughter Katherine finishing a masters in OT at Quinnipiac and son Ethan who is a senior at Pennsylvania State University. Ethan will start a master’s in public health in the fall.
Ron was appointed by Governor Lamont on May 9, 2023, as Commissioner of Connecticut Department of Veteran Affairs. For the previous 4 and a half years he served as the Vice President for Military Services at the Veterans Rally Point, which is part of Easterseals Capital Region and Eastern Connecticut located in Norwich. In 2021 Veterans Rally Point completed an18,000sf build out of the facility that provides free life changing services to Active Military, National Guard, Reserve, Veterans & their Families.
In the event of rain, the Veterans Day Ceremony will be held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 10732, 152 Massirio Dr., Berlin, CT 06037 at 11:00 AM.
If you have any questions or comments, please call any of the Commissioners: Paul Eshoo 860-828-3829, Bruce Trevethan 860-828-5934, Peter Galgano 860-604-7258, Dean Revoir 203-213-9977, Jim Fiori 860-836-3207 or Charles Colaresi 860-227-9494.
