FAYETTEVILLE -- Toby Slinkard said Monday's Memorial Day ceremony at Fayetteville National Cemetery was almost like reliving the funeral of his father, who was buried there in March.
Slinkard and his family were some of the many people who attended the event. A stage stood under a white tent as a crowd of people sat in chairs and stood facing it. A row of wreaths stood in front of the stage.
FAST FACTS
Fayetteville National Cemetery
• The cemetery was created in 1867.
• Over 10,000 people are buried in the cemetery.
• The cemetery is about 20 acres.
• The cemetery contains the graves of veterans from all 50 states and two foreign countries.
Source: Tom Ruck, director of the Fayetteville National Cemetery
Jim Glover, a member of the board of directors for the Regional National Cemetery Improvement Corporation, stood near the entrance and handed out pamphlets. The Corporation is a nonprofit organization that raises money to expand the cemetery.
Glover said people need to honor those who sacrificed to get the American people where they are today. He said the event reminds people that what they have isn't free.
Sgt. Steven Sperry, who was medically separated from the Marines in 2014, attended the event in uniform and with his family. He said he served for seven years and was deployed twice to Afghanistan.
A best friend of Sperry's, who joined the Marines with him, is buried in the cemetery, he said. Monday was the first time he was going to see the grave.
After the ceremony began, a Boy Scout led everyone in the pledge of allegiance, and a chorus sang the national anthem. Several veterans spoke during the event.
John Carney, an Air Force veteran from the Vietnam War, spoke about the misrepresentation of the war. He said he didn't hear the phrase "Thank you for your service" until 40 years after returning to the U.S.
"Thank you today for remembering us before we're gone," he said.
John "Jack" Nicholson, a retired Army Brigadier General, was the keynote speaker for the ceremony. He spoke about serving in Vietnam with a friend during the war. His friend was taken by the Viet Cong and was killed. He also talked about trying to rescue his friend.
A group of men and women marched to an area in front of the stage during the event. They gave their oath of enlistment for the army. The crowd stood and applauded.
State Sen. Uvalde Lindsey, D-Fayetteville, and Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan attended the event. Jordan said the event pulls the community together to honor those who give the "ultimate sacrifice."
Lindsey said the ceremony is a process of bonding the community together. It's a way for people to be sad and thankful together.
Slinkard said his father was a Marine and a Korean War veteran. He said Memorial Day has more meaning to him now. His father's death gives him an "anchor" for the holiday.
"Before, it was just another day on the calendar," he said.
The ceremony comes after work by local organizations Saturday to place American flags on the graves and a role call of honor from Saturday to Monday, said Tom Ruck, director of the cemetery. The names of everyone who is buried in the cemetery were read. The reading took 19 1/2 hours, and 172 people read names.
"This part of the country has such a passion for patriotism," he said.
NW News on 05/26/2015