At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, New Canaan’s VFW Post 653, officially known as Howard M. Bossa and Peter C. Langenus Post 653 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, will lead the annual Veterans Day ceremony to honor and commemorate the service of military veterans at the Wayside Cross and the bottom of God’s Acre.
Col. Jeffrey Erickson. US Army official photo
Veterans Day is distinct from Memorial Day in May which honors those who died while serving in the military. The date and time of the commemoration of Veterans Day link back to Armistice Day, which marked the end of World War I. To honor those who served, New Canaan’s VFW Post placed 600 flags on God’s Acre just above the Wayside Cross on Saturday, November 6th, with the assistance of boy scouts from BSA Troop 45.
This year’s Veterans Day ceremony will include comments from Ms. Caroline Sparico, Vice Regent of the Hannah Benedict Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and our guest speaker, Col Jeffrey Erickson, the Director of the Army Cyber Institute at the United States Military Academy (USMA) located at West Point. Col. Erickson will provide remarks on the importance of Veterans Day in linking past generations with future Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines.
The Ceremony will begin at 10:45 AM at God’s Acre.
In addition to the VFW, various town officials and the Daughters of the American Revolution will participate in the ceremony. First Selectman Kevin Moynihan will introduce Col. Erickson.
Mike McGlinn, Commander of VFW Post 653, commented, “It is important for us to celebrate Veterans Day as a community and to honor all the men and women who have served our great country, both living and deceased. It is a solemn day for everyone who has served in the armed forces and it’s a great opportunity to thank all veterans.
Refreshments will be served at the Town Hall following the Ceremony.
Col. Jeffrey Erickson
Colonel Jeff Erickson is the Director of the Army Cyber Institute at the United States Military Academy located at West Point, New York.
Originally from Seattle, he began his Army career after graduating from West Point as an Armor officer. He served in a variety of Armor assignments before transitioning to the Simulation Operations functional area, where has used technology to train and exercise Soldiers and units from the individual up to the Combatant Command levels. He served in locations such as the Republic of Korea; Fort Lewis, WA; Fort Riley, KS, Germany; Fort Hood TX; Kuwait; Iraq; the Pentagon; and Suffolk, VA.
In his position as Director of the Army Cyber Institute, Col Erickson leads a multi-disciplinary research institute focused on expanding the Army’s knowledge of the cyberspace domain.