A Memorial Day remembrance ceremony is scheduled to begin at 9:3 0 a.m. at the Oval, with a parade to follow at 10 a.m. The parade will start on South Livingston Avenue in front of Town Hall, and proceed alongthe roadway to Livingston Center. The parade route will then continue onto North Livingston Avenue, before concluding at Congressional Parkway. The parade will feature many local organizations and groups, as well as bands, floats, and more.
Lieutenant Colonel Steve Hoffman encourages Livingston residents to attend the service and parade. Hoffman is the parade chairperson and commander of the Jewish War Veterans/Dan Michelson Post 740.
“There are times when some are taken aback when 1 express my years in uniform as both a positive and productive experience. 1 am the first to acknowledge that my assessment might have been different if 1 was subjected firsthand to the horrors of combat as 1 was on active duty during the Vietnam War and Desert Storm,” Hoffman wrote.
He continued, “In late 1967, 1 volunteered to be the commanding officer of the sixth U.S. Army Escort Unit. The unit’s mission was to provide military escort to our fallen service members until they reached their final resting place. Please recall that, at the time, conscription was still in effect and that meant that all able-bodied males 18 years of age were subject to be called for active military service.”
“As such, those in uniform included those who volunteered to serve for a variety of reasons and those who had no desire to serve, but honored their obligation. Sometimes, by honoring that obligation, it resulted in them making the ultimate sacrifice.”
Lt. Col. Hoffman concluded, “From the time of my attendance at my first military funeral to the present, I have had the utmost respect for my fallen comrades. They had varying experiences in life, be it in terms of education, religion, socioeconomic status and aspirations, but what they had in common was their willingness to do their part to defend and protect our nation. That is the essence of Memorial Day and it is time to honor all who answered the call to arms.”
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