By Jim Tortolano/Garden Grove Journal
With song and speech and rifle salute and even silence, the City of Stanton paid tribute to the fighting men and women of America at the annual Veteran’s Day Celebration at Veterans Memorial Park on Friday.
The event celebrated and honored those past and present in military service to America.
“Our veterans are being recognized more and more across America, and deservedly so,” said Mayor Brian Donahue, who is also chair of the Stanton Community Foundation, which co-sponsored the event.
Each member of the city council spoke. Councilman and mayor pro tem David Shawver, quoting from a poem, said “we owe veterans our very lives and liberties.” Councilwoman Carol Warren spoke of society’s obligation to help disabled and homeless veterans.
Capt. Anthony Colannino of the California State Military Reserve,sang an a capella rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner.” A chorus of students from St. Polycarp Catholic School in Stanton sang “God Bless America,” “Coming to America” and “Thank You, Soldier” in a performance complete with choreographed gestures and motions.
A wreath was laid at the central monument by two veterans, and a moment of silence was observed. That quiet was broken by a rifle salute by four members of Amvet Post 18, led by Capt. Ivan Asbaugh.
The playing of “Taps” and a final prayer closed the observance until next Veteran’s Day.
The photograph on the front page of the GGJ corresponding to this article shows a person identified as LTC. Albert Ayala. I have no way of knowing if Mr Ayala is actually a veteran and I applaud the fact that he is celebrating Veterans Day. As a six year veteran of the US Army I noticed that LTC Ayala does not know how to salute. This is something you never forget. I also noticed that as an officer, he is wearing enlisted US insignia on his lapels. To my knowledge that bow tie can only be worn with dress blues, not greens. The CIB is worn over your ribbons on the left side of your chest, not on the right side like he is wearing it. The shooting badge over his left breast pocket is not a US Army badge. There are other badges on his pockets that I doubt a LTC would earn or wear and last the beret was not a part of the uniform for a soldier of his age and based on the badge on the beret I would wager that he bought it, like everything else on this uniform. I find it sad and irresponsible [when anyone] impersonates members of the military, if that is the case in this instance [and] definitely in the case of [some] that attended the opening of the Vietnam Moving Wall in Garden Grove in full military uniform.