Mayor Begich Remarks
Second Annual Alaska Veterans Concert
6 p.m.; Nov. 10, 2004; Atwood Concert Hall

Thank you, Rick Rydell, for your introduction. Thanks to Ric Davidge and the Alaska Veterans Foundation for the second year of a wonderful event.

Thanks and welcome to our special guest this evening, Sergeant Drew Dix. It’s an honor to share the stage with this brave soldier.

And thanks and welcome to Anchorage’s veterans and those men and women currently serving in our nation’s military. We are proud of each and every one of you.

We are here tonight to honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s military, past and present. As you know, Veterans’ Day began with the signing of the armistice to end the first world war. It was called the “war to end all wars,” and was signed on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour.

As I stand here with you tonight, I can’t help but think about another national event we marked just last week. Early in our nation’s history, Congress had to pick a day to hold national elections.  They settled on November because at that time our largely agrarian populace would be done with the fall harvests.

Somehow, though, it doesn’t feel like coincidence that these two occasions fall so closely together. What could be a better time to be reminded of the sacrifice of our nations’ veterans than when we all take part in the most fundamental act of a democracy - voting? 

There’s no better indication of our nation’s faith in democracy than a contested election in which more people than ever before became engaged, picked a candidate that represented their views and voted. There may be legitimate disagreements about policy and personality, but tonight, this is a nation united. 

Similarly, Veterans Day is a day on which we all come together as one nation, rejoice in love of country and honor those who serve and sacrifice to keep it free. 

In Anchorage, we know about service.  We take special pride in our ties to the armed forces. With 9,000 active duty military personnel and their 14,000 family members living here, we understand and appreciate service.  

At every event, at every opportunity, members of this community step forward to do all they can to honor our veterans and those who still wear the uniform of our nation’s military.
Alaska proudly claims more than 70,000 men and women who wore the uniform of our country’s military – one of the highest percentages in the nation.  Anchorage itself is home to 30,000 of these men and women.

The coming days will demand more from this community as units from Fort Richardson, Elmendorf Air Force Base, and Alaska National Guard and Reserve will be called up to serve abroad. 

Already as mayor, I addressed a task force of airborne soldiers - the 1st of the 501st from Fort Richardson. I saw them off to Afghanistan to bring peace, security, and democracy to nation struggling to be free.  I had an even greater pleasure in welcoming home every last man and woman from that group.

Let us commit tonight to do all that we can to support these brave soldiers and their families left here in Anchorage.  And let us hope that, like the members of the 1st of the 501st, they all return home safely. 

As we enjoy tonight’s program and later as we go on with our lives, let us remember those who serve.  Let us celebrate the men and women who help make our country the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Thank you, and may God bless America and our great city.

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