Congresswoman Terri Sewell, PARA Head Lead Veterans Day Ceremony in Tuscaloosa

US Congresswoman Terri Sewell and the head of Tuscaloosa County's Park and Recreation Authority led a ceremony on a chilly Tuesday morning to recognize current and former service members on Veterans Day.

The duo tag-teamed this year's edition of the annual observance, which takes place each November at Veterans Memorial Park outside the University Mall on McFarland Boulevard.

A large crowd gathered at the park on Tuesday, on the coldest morning of the season so far, though a 10 a.m. start time meant the sun was warming those who sat in its light.

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The solemn event was emceed by retired Colonel Duane Lamb of the U.S. Air Force, who chairs the Tuscaloosa Veterans Memorial Park Association.

Lamb introduced Sewell after the presentation of the colors by the Hillcrest High School Junior ROTC.

"We in Alabama have a very strong and proud tradition of supporting our national defense," Sewell said. "So it is not surprising that our state is the home of more than 377,000 veterans, each of whom has served our nation with great bravery and distinction. To the veterans that are here today, the men and women, fathers, wives, sons, and daughters, we say thank you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

Sewell said Congress still has much to do to support veterans after they leave military service, but also touted the passage of the PACT Act in 2022, which expanded health care benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances in the course of service.

The featured speaker this year was Brian Davis, Executive Director of Tuscaloosa County PARA.

Davis joined the Alabama National Guard in 1992 to help pay for his education at the University of Alabama and then the University of West Florida. After almost 10 years of reserve service, Davis was called to active duty after the September 11th, 2001, terror attacks.

He was deployed to Afghanistan, where he created daily situation reports and provided security for supply convoys, humanitarian aid missions, and financial operations. He and his wife, Tracy, live in McCalla and share two sons and two granddaughters.

"I can remember the first time that I felt that bond with my fellow soldiers. Different walks of life, different upbringings, different states, different economic status, different colors, but in the uniform, none of that mattered," Davis said. "What mattered was the mission, and what mattered was each other. That is one of the profound truths about military service."

Davis recalled his grandfather's stories of serving in the Army during World War II, a vastly different conflict but one that, in other ways, bore similarities to Davis's own deployment to the Middle East.

"There's no generation gap between service members. When I got back from Afghanistan, I had a closer bond with my grandfather than prior to going over. When I came back, we could sit in a room and - just like this gentleman from World War II - we've got a bond that we served together, no matter what our ages are," Davis said, pointing out an honored Veteran in the crowd.

"So whether you served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere in between, the bond is the same," he continued. "The uniforms may have changed, the weapons may have advanced, and the technology may be unrecognizable. But the heart of service, the willingness to put yourself in harm's way for your fellow soldier, for your country, for your freedom, has never changed. When veterans meet, even for the first time, there is a mutual respect that doesn't need words."

Davis and other speakers also addressed the need for more mental health resources for veterans, as more than 17 former service members took their own lives every single day in 2022, the last year for which data is publicly available.

The event ended as dozens, if not a hundred, veterans in attendance stood during the playing of their branch's unique anthem - Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines.

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