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The historic Manchester Town Square was full of onlookers, young and old, on Nov. 9 as the city recognized its large veteran population.

The morning started with a parade that went from Raider Academy to just past the town square.

Several local organizations and groups participated in the parade including the Coffee County Rescue Squad, Trail Life USA Troop TN-0314, and the Coffee County High School Band.

V.F.W Post 10904 Chaplain Bob Brinkman started the ceremony with an invocation. Lloyd Smith sang the National Anthem, and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by the American Heritage Girls Troop 0314.

Smith also performed the Armed Services Medley, I’m Thankful to Be an American, and Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the U.S.A later in the program.

Westwood Middle School Principal and Retired Army Major Jim Dobson served as the Master of Ceremonies for the event. Dobson commented beforehand that he hoped the program would shine a light on local veterans.

“I hope that just they are aware of the veterans in the community because there are a ton of them, and we just try to give them an idea of what these ladies and gentlemen went through, so they can enjoy the life they have today,” he said.

Dobson also noted the positive impact the program has on veterans.

“It doesn’t matter how old you are or what branch, everyone’s coming together and swapping stories,” said Dobson. “I think it does good to get them out into the community and just see how people feel about them.”

Dobson took time during the ceremony to specifically recognize three groups: veterans, Gold Star mothers and families, and police, firemen, and first responders and their families.

The program also featured presentations of Quilts of Valor by the Manchester Quilting Ladies Guild to six local veterans.

“The organization’s mission is to honor service members and veterans who have been touched by war with comforting and healing quilts. These quilts are an expression of gratitude meant to thank and comfort the recipients,” read Lou Brewer representing the Manchester Quilting Ladies Guild.

The Quilts of Valor were given to John M. Angelo, James D. Loeb, Gordon Ray Carroll, Donald C. Rymer, Allen Lee Odell, and Misty M. Hall.

“That was one of the nicest gestures ever,” commented Hall on receiving one of the quilts.

Hall also reflected on how she felt after the program and parade.

“It makes me very proud of what I did, and it makes me very happy to see the turnout because sometimes you wonder with society today, but I was very impressed by it. It was a great program,” she explained.

V.F.W Post 10904 Commander Kim King read President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s address to the nation on the evening of D-Day, June 6, 1944, which she referred to as “the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard read or said about our country or veterans.”

King also explained while setting up for the program that she hoped the takeaway from the day would be pride in the U.S.

“I hope they leave here feeling very patriotic and feeling very good about their country,” she said. “That’s always the goal in these things. The past few years it’s been kinda dark, and I just want everyone to feel good about their country.”

Jim Dobson also served as the guest speaker for the ceremony in addition to his hosting duties.

“The Army sent me to some of the most exotic places they could find like Fort Drum, New York, Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, and my favorite Fort Polk, Louisiana, all of which prepared me for my current job as a middle school principal,” he joked.

Dobson continued his remarks by explaining that Americans owe a debt of gratitude to all veterans.

“As a country we have been truly blessed with citizens who have taken up arms whenever the rights of men and women have been threatened,” he said. “We owe a great debt to our veterans. Through untold courage and sacrifice, America’s veterans have secured the liberty which the Founding Fathers sought to establish in our new nation.”

Dobson also commented that Americans can thank veterans “by living their lives and enjoying America’s greatness” and “by taking full advantage of all your rights that they defended.”

“This is the thanks that Americans can give,” he said. “Live your lives well as productive citizens should.”

Army retiree Hans Hooker commented that the celebration was representative of a concept that dates to the beginning of the United States.

“As a 45 year federal employee, 22 in the Army and 23 as a civilian, I find that it represents the ideals that our Founding Fathers set, that the American people, male and female, need to step up to defend the rights that are accorded us by the Bill of Rights by our Constitution, and this is the people’s way of recognizing what the veterans have accomplished,” he said.

When asked how the recognition that comes from the parade and ceremony makes him feel as a veteran, hooker commented that it gave him “a warm, fuzzy feeling.”

“It’s one thing when a stranger walks up to you and says thank you for your service when they don’t really understand what they mean by the term service,” he said. “Here you’re surrounded by fellow veterans, male and female, combat veterans or Cold War veterans, those that served overseas and those that served here in the United States, and it gives a whole different perspective and a whole different meaning.”

“It makes you feel good.”