City of Fairfax Commemorates Veterans Day

Around 50 people gathered at the Veterans Memorial outside City Hall Monday morning to commemorate Veterans Day, including City staff and officials, Senator Chap Petersen, and members of the VFW Post 8469 and American Legion Post 177.

Jacobo F. Flores, Commander of Post 8469, welcomed the community with opening remarks.

"Let us remember our fallen, who were not able to live their long lives so that ours were spared," Flores said, as he then introduced Sen. Petersen, who spoke briefly.

Petersen remarked on the tremendous respect he has for veterans, and suggested our country's federal government could learn a thing or two from them.

"When you're in the military, such as in a boot camp or platoon, you have to get along," he said. "There's no 'plan B.'"

Petersen encouraged more veterans to get involved in leadership and set an example for everyone.

"Help unify this country. Make it a better country," he said. "Make it worth the service you've given."

City of Fairfax Councilmember Steve Stombres, himself a veteran, also took the podium, and told the story of James Adamousky, the first Fairfax resident and West Point graduate to die in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Then, members of the audience lined up to read from the podium the names of every Fairfax veteran to die in service to their country since World War I. As each name was read, a bell was rung.

See photos from the ceremony above.

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