On Thursday, May 23rd, in honor of Memorial Day, the Hamden Regional Chamber’s Health & Wellness Council hosted a special community event titled “Stories of Our American Heroes”. In front of World War II, Korean, and Vietnam Veterans, I was honored as the keynote speaker for the event. With the utmost humility I stood in front of these heroes and shared the story of my experience in the United States Army. I talked about my reasons for joining after 9/11, I talked about the different positions and jobs I held, accolades and medals I earned, and I touched upon my time I spent overseas in Iraq.
But most importantly, I talked about the true meaning of Memorial Day and how it is meant to be a day of mourning, not celebration. While the men and women who sat in the crowd listened intently as I gave my speech, I saw a certain level of pride in their eyes as they realized there is a younger generation of combat-veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who will continue to carry the torch for past generations. Lastly, I touched upon the suicide epidemic with veterans. Twenty-two veterans a day take their own lives. These men and women served our nation with pride and honor, however the burdens of war were just too much for them to carry.
Lastly, I would like to explain that there is a significant difference between Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Armed Forces Day:
Memorial Day is to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Veterans Day is to remember and thank all those who once served in the military, regardless if they spent time in a war-zone or not.
Armed Forces Day is to celebrate and thank all those who are currently serving in the military.
About the Author
Tom Noonan has been with Albertus Magnus College since November of 2018. Tom is an Army Veteran who served eight years, including time on active duty and in the Army Reserves. During his time on active duty Tom earned the rank of Sergeant and earned the Soldier’s Medal, which is the highest medal awarded for heroism in a non-combat situation. Tom spent one year overseas in Iraq from 2007-2008 as part of a counter-rocket-artillery-mortar (C-RAM) team. After arriving home, Tom transferred to the Army Reserves, reclassified as an Administrative Specialist, and re-enrolled into college where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Southern Connecticut State University. Tom currently lives in Shelton, CT where he spends most of his time hanging out with his dog, Crash.