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Adair County honors service with Veterans Day ceremony

Kirksville Daily Express - 11/11/2019

The traditional Veterans Day moment of silence will be no more in Adair County.

John Buckwalter, vice-commander of American Legion Post 20, began Monday morning's ceremony at Rieger Armory by reading a proclamation from Adair County veterans organizations, saying from this point forward the silence is being replaced.

"Our veterans cannot hear two minutes of silence, and we have been silent for too long," Buckwalter said. "Now, therefore, we, the veterans organizations of Adair County, do proclaim that this year and each year hereafter at 11 a.m. we pause and ring the bells of freedom across northeast Missouri."

Monday's ceremony was a celebration of military service, with the Kirksville High School symphonic band providing the sounds of military anthems and the keynote speaker highlighting acts of heroism that have earned some of the nation's highest honors.

Richard A. Heigert, national vice-commander of the American Legion, provided the highlight program. He said Veterans Day contains no apostrophe because it doesn't belong to any individual or select group of veterans, but to all who have served.

"It takes a special kind of person to heed the call of service and to face the dangers so others can stay safe," Heigert said.

Heigert told stories about military service members who had been awarded for their acts of heroism while serving in combat. While those were the stories that made headlines, though, Heigert called upon those in attendance to seek out stories from any of the millions of living veterans.

"Every single man and woman who has raised their right hand and pledged to give their life for their country if needed, did so for a reason. Ask them why," he said. "These stories and memories of ours are powerful. They are one of the most powerful weapons in securing the future for those who follow us."

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