Veterans past and present were thanked on Friday during Carbon County’s annual Veterans Day memorial service in Jim Thorpe.

It was the last program being overseen by Henry Desrosiers, current director of the Carbon County Office of Veterans Affairs, who will be retiring from the position in December. Desrosiers kicked off the program by passing the microphone to his replacement, Christine LeClair, an Iraq veteran from Lansford.

“We’re here today to honor our heroes, to remember their achievements, their courage and dedication and to say thank you for their sacrifices,” LeClair told the crowd gathered in Josiah White Park.

“They were all ordinary people who responded in extraordinary ways in extreme times,” she continued. “They rose to the occasion, because they wanted to protect a nation, which has given us all so much.”

Some members of local veterans organizations held legion, American and Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flags, which fluttered in the afternoon’s strong winds. Others stood in the parking lot adjacent to the train, guns in hand in anticipation of a 21-gun salute.

George Duell, a Pennsylvania U.S. Army Reserve ambassador, was the event’s keynote speaker.

Duell said while weapons of war have changed over the decades, the country’s “most valuable military asset” hasn’t; it’s the men and woman who serve that win wars.

Still, facing heightened tensions not seen since the Cold War, Duell added, Americans need to be aware, continuing to honor those putting their lives on the line.

“The freedom we enjoy is extremely special,” Duell said, “and that’s why we must defend it.”

He ended his address by offering Desrosiers a handshake, a commander’s coin in his palm, which Duell gave to Desrosiers for his service with the county’s veteran population.

When County Commissioner Wayne Nothstein took to the podium, he advocated for increased awareness around veterans’ high suicide rates, which — according to a 2017 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs news release — is around 20 suicides a day.

“Simply put, we are losing more service members by their own hands than we are by the enemy,” Nothstein said.

Nothstein also encouraged all those gathered Friday to attend the Veterans Day Parade, scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. Sunday in Lehighton.

“They gave years of their life, lost precious time with their families, while serving our country,” Nothstein said. “Surely, we can give them a couple of hours to thank them for their service.”