Events planned for Friday, Saturday around county — weather permitting
Over 100 veterans and family members from the St. Cloud area celebrated the upcoming Veterans Day holiday with a steak dinner, presented by the Florida Farm Bureau and the Osceola County Cattleman’s Association, on Friday Nov. 4, as a lead in to this weekend’s festivities and remembrances.
At least two World War II veterans were present. Pat Rudd, 101 years old, was a Navy Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) and served in Hawaii, which was considered an overseas war zone at that time. She recited the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Remembrance Poem.
The veterans heard from two guest speakers — the first was Col. Calvin Wimbish (ret.), an Orlando native who served in Special Forces (the “Green Berets”), and as an Army aviator, infantry paratrooper, and military intelligence officer for over 33 years. He is a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan.
He spoke about the urgent need to address mental health in the military and veteran community. He cited those suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disease and Traumatic Brain Injury as the most vulnerable to falling into addiction, homelessness, to encounter the criminal justice system, and worse, committing suicide. He concluded his remarks by discussing The Fire Watch, a veteran-to-veteran suicide prevention program, which originated here in Florida.
Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling retired in late 2012 after a 38-year career in the U.S. Army, including serving over three years total in combat in Desert Storm and Iraq. He is a West Point graduate, and his military decorations include three awards of the Distinguished Service Medal, several awards for valor, the Purple Heart, and numerous foreign military decorations. He came to Orlando after retirement to serve as Vice President of Global Partnering, Health Performance Strategy and Physician Leadership for AdventHealth, charged with initiating international partnerships for the healthcare company. He also authored a book on physician leadership. In 2013, he received a presidential appointment to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sport, and Nutrition. He is also an adjunct professor of strategic leadership at the Crummer School of Business at Rollins College in Winter Park. He is also a military and international affairs analyst for CNN.
Gen. Hertling started his remarks by asking veterans to reflect on why they entered the military. From this, he discussed how much veterans learn during their military service, often without realizing it, and how we can bring those hard-earned lessons back into our lives to serve our families, communities, and other veterans. He concluded by reflecting on his own service and showed the audience a small wooden box he has kept with him over the years. The box contains cards with the names and information of the 238 soldiers that died under his command. He selected one and read it to the audience.
The evening ended with a traditional 21-Gun Salute and Taps, performed by members of the Osceola Veterans Council.
Other Veterans Day events are scheduled in the St. Cloud area — now weather permitting with the possible passage of Tropical Storm Nicole.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office second-annual Veteran’s Day Appreciation Ceremony is scheduled for Friday at 10 a.m. at Lake X (7555 Old Melbourne Hwy, St Cloud, FL 34771).
On Saturday, the Mercy Foundation is hosting a Veterans Resource Fair at Veterans Park in St. Cloud, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
