.."Whatever our faith, one belief should bind us all...our willingness to give of ourselves for others and for our country." —Sen. John Kerry
I also want to recognize our fellow citizens who continue to serve our country, and family members like my late uncle Joseph Augustine, my late uncle and godfather, Anthony Augustine and my nephew Andrew Augustine representing the new generation, who has served his country in the US Air Force for 8 years. He will be doing a stint in Portugal soon followed by two years in Japan.
Three years ago today, my dad Frank Augustine who is nearing 101 years of age was the recipient of two Hudson County Military Service Medals and a Citation Certificate by Hudson County NJ Executive, Thomas A. DeGise, the Office of Veteran Affairs, Anthony Romano and the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Jennifer Gattino, representing the former mayor of Hoboken, Dawn Zimmer for his seven years of service in the US Maritime Service, the US Army at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and Walter Reed National Medical Center as head cook and personal aide to his mentor and friend, Army Chaplain, Capt. William Walsh. He is one of the country's oldest living veterans.
By Proclamation from our President, this year has been designated National Veterans and Military Families Month. For 98 years, Americans have remembered those who served our country in uniform on 11 November – first as Armistice Day, and then, since 1954 as Veterans Day. In this 99th year of commemoration, the Department of Veterans Affairs is broadening that tradition of observance and appreciation to include both Veterans and Military Families for the entire month of November.
