As always, thank you to our veterans

If there is something this town does well, it’s celebrate its veterans. Well, there are plenty of things the City of Custer does well, but you get the idea. When it comes to honoring those who served their country, Custer is second to one.
We saw that again firsthand last Tuesday on Veterans Day when the community came together to honor the veterans through a series of activities. We are sorry most of our Veterans Day photos are just now in this week’s issue of the paper, but that’s a byproduct of Veterans Day falling on a Tuesday. By the time the event at the Armory happened, we were working to wrap up that issue. We were able to get one of the photos from the morning ceremony at the Veterans Memorial on the front page, but to go deep into the Veterans Day stuff for an issue that late on Tuesday doesn’t work. But we digress.
Speaking of the ceremony at the Armory, we are sure you will agree that no matter how many times we see the ceremony, it still brings a tear to the eye. Seeing our younger students honor the veterans through song, and then our older students the same way and by the giving of gifts and gratitude is amazing. It seems like the students in our school district are taught from a young age just how important our veterans are, and we couldn’t agree more. The same things happens in Hermosa and Elk Mountain as well, as you will see through photos in this issue and the next. To the schools, we say keep doing what you’re doing. You’re doing it right.
We wish more people would come to the ceremony at the Veterans Memorial, but we also realize that it’s in the morning on a week day, which can make it hard to get to for many. For those who haven’t attended, it is another stirring ceremony with brief remarks followed by a rifle volley by the Veterans Honor Guard. That is followed by the playing of Taps. We would like to see it draw the type of crowd the July 4 flag ceremony gets. Maybe one of these days.
If you are a veteran reading this, from all of us at the Custer County Chronicle, thank you for your service. For many years, our newspaper was led by a Vietnam veteran, Charley Najacht. We thank him, as always, for his service, as well as all of those who served in Vietnam. No matter when you served or how you served, we thank you.
It sounds cliche, but it’s true. Freedom isn’t free. Pick your favorite quote about the veterans. They ring as true today as they did over 80 years ago when the beaches of Normandy were stormed in France.
Thomas Jefferson wrote “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” This, unfortunately, is true. Fortunately, we have our bravest who answer that call and serve our country. People like Albert St. Germaine, who you will see on the front page of this issue. Albert served in World War II, and with the death of Harold Stickney, we believe he is our last living World War II veteran in Custer.
It’s a little late this year, but it’s eternal and always. Thank you, veterans, for your service. You are the best of us, and we appreciate you.