INDOOR CEREMONY AND A PARADE

I just returned home from a wonderful day in sunny CA. The weather was cloudless and about 72F at noon.

I attended COL Jack Potter’s Marin County Veterans ceremony at the the Civic Auditorium this morning; I was on stage to represent the Marin County Chapter of Military Officers Association as its President.

Afterwards, Colonel Vince Clarke, USAF (Ret.) and Director of our MOAA chapter, and I drove to Petaluma, having been invited by the President of the MOAA Redwood Empire Chapter, COL Pete Peterak, USA (Ret.) to ride on their float in the Petaluma Veterans Day parade.

Vince and I went mainly to fill out their float with various uniforms, i.e., they had a Marine, and four Army officers including their chapter president. One of their retired Army officers, COL Eugene Merrill, USA (Ret.), wore his 1776 Army uniform which looked great.

Along the route, the sincere appreciation for veterans was very touching to have thousands of spectators cheer, wave, shout “thank you,” salute, applaud, etc. After all the left inspired and wealthy political party donnor paid demonstrators against the Iraq war in SF, it was touching to see real America today and I wanted to share it with you.

CAPT Mark L. Shafer, USNR (RET)
President, Marin County Chapter

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