ELIZABETHTOWN — Veterans, their families, friends and supporters came together to honor and remember during the 13th annual Bladen County Veterans Day ceremony Thursday.
The ceremony in the Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church’s fellowship hall also had two memorial tributes in place as well.
Ben Greene and Joe Nathan Kelly, both Purple Heart recipients, were honored by plaques that were given to their families. Greene and Kelly were known throughout the community for their dedication to others and their civic duty to their fellow men and women.
Tiina Mundy, a graduate of the Air Force Academy to rose to the rank of captain, shared her experiences in the military, including being an early pioneer for women at the academy.
“I am truly honored and humbled to be here today,” Mundy said. “I look out into the audience and see the faces of so many true heroes.
“Everyone has a different journey, but it is similar. It doesn’t matter which branch of the service we served in, we have a common bond. We served our country and did our duty.”
Mundy was in the fifth class of women that graduated from the academy in 1984.
“We were the first class that graduated that had men and women in all four classes for all four years,” she said. “It was an interesting time, to say the least. Not everyone was happy that women were at the academy. But we did it.
“I can honestly say that I made some of the best friends of my life. We were strangers that became friends for the sole purpose of making it through the experience.”
That is the theme for this year’s Veterans Day ceremony, the “Heart of a Veteran,” and it is meant to highlight the service, courage, sacrifice and resilience of the men and women who served in the Armed Forces.
Three student cadets were also recognized: Cadet Maj. Brandon Bagwell of East Bladen JROTC, Cadet Corp. Jinley Magali Mandujando from West Bladen JROTC and Cadet 1st Capt. Tristan Bray from Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy.
A luncheon was held after the ceremony.
Hazel Kelly (left) was presented with a memorial plaque by Sheriff Jim McVicker (center) and Ann Garrett for Joe Nathan Kelly’s service in the military.
Ann Garrett (left) and Mac Campbell (center) presented a plaque to Mary Greene in a memorial tribute for her husband Ben Greene’s service in the Navy.
A wreath was placed Cadet Lt. Col. Brianna McNeill, Cadet Capt. Jacob Young and Thomas Brooks from the American Legion Post 404, Bobby Ludlum from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8062, Cadet Pet. 1st Class Shelby Bryant and Cadet Jessica Lamb from Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy. McNeill, Bryant and Young are in the West Bladen JROTC program.
Tiina Mundy, an Air Force Academy graduate, spoke to the guests at the 13th annual Bladen County Veterans Day ceremony.