From the Gainesville Sun

By Kimberly C. Moore
Staff Writer

Ed Van Buren, American Legion commander, will be emceeing Gainesville's annual Veterans Day event at Kanapaha Park on Thursday.

"I'm extremely honored," Van Buren said. "Every place I go, I'm a soldier, the son of a soldier, the father of a soldier. In fact, my son just returned from Afghanistan."

Every year, veterans and their families gather in the park to honor loved ones who have served or are serving.

Starting at 10:30 a.m., the Fort Clarke Middle School band will play patriotic songs. Approximately 150 cadets from the University of Florida's Air Force ROTC program then will be welcomed. That will be followed by a flyover of four World War II-era AT-6 aircraft.

Parachutists from Skydive Palatka will drop in, with one carrying the American flag. The American Legion riders color guard will bring the state, POW-MIA and other flags. The Pledge of Allegiance will be given by Ray Davis, dressed in his Heroes of '76 and Sons of the American Revolution uniform.

The guest speaker will be Thomas Capello, director of the North Florida and South Georgia Veterans Health System hospital.

"Every year, we select a particular conflict to honor," Van Buren said. "This year, it's Vietnam. It's hard to believe it ended 35 years ago."

About half a dozen individuals will be recognized for their contributions to veterans. Then all of the Vietnam veterans will be welcomed home -- something they did not receive when they originally returned from conflict.

The Green's Gavel Club, a junior division of Toastmasters International, will read the poem, "What is a Vet?"

The flag will be folded, with an announcer explaining the meaning of each fold.

New wreaths made by the American Legion Auxiliary Post 16 will be presented at all of the war monuments.

Alachua County resident Mark Sloan came up with the idea for the Kanapaha monument.

The base is a 300-foot-long walkway with each foot representing a year. Spaced along the walkway are granite bases representing each of the nation's major wars beginning with the Revolutionary War in 1775. Each of the red bricks mounted on the bases represents 1,000 American battlefield deaths. The nation's deadliest war -- the Civil War -- is represented by 529 bricks, while Desert Storm required less than one full brick.

A road in the park currently is being redesigned to make room for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

After the wreaths are in place, taps will be played by four buglers from the Buchholz High School band, followed by the benediction.

Van Buren said there are multiple organizations in the county that help the area's 25,000 veterans.

"We are so blessed that we have so many of these organizations,' he said.