City Honors its Veteran Employees in City Hall Ceremony

The city of Santa Cruz honored it's employees who are veterans today in its second annual Veteran's Appreciation ceremony at City Hall.

According to Zach Friend of the Santa Cruz Police Department, two dozen veterans are currently employed by the city, and many more are retired. 

The Honor Guard made a visually and emotionally striking presentation of the service flags, and Mayor Don Lane thanked all of the city's veterans for their sacrifices and service in the armed forces.

Mayor Lane quoted Ryan Coonerty, who initiated the ceremony as Mayor last year, saying:

All too often it seems we live in an era of self interest. Government service is questioned, workers are chastised, military veterans are forgotten. Here with us stands a group that chose the opposite of self interest, and today that's why we present these flags as a reminder that there is a cause greater than self, and a reminder that public service can still be a noble calling. 

Mayor Lane also suggested we not forget the important connection between our country's veterans and the recent national election: if it weren't for the first American veterans, and all of those who followed to defend our democratic freedom, we wouldn't have our democratic form of government, he said.

Honorees were touched by the ceremony, and thankful for the recognition.

"I know it's only been going on for two years and I think it's been a long time needed," said Alec Ganzel, 28, an officer for the Santa Cruz Police Department for six years, and a Marine veteran for four years.

The ceremony, he said, helps identify and honor those veterans "you may see every day and you don't know that they're service members." 

Chris Vigil, 28, is among some 10 employees of the Santa Cruz Police Department who have served in the armed forces, and his service included two deployments to Iraq.

"It's nice that the city honors the veterans that are in Santa Cruz that are employees and citizens," said Vigil. 

James Robinson, a retired Santa Cruz resident, was snapping pictures at the ceremony. He served in the Marine Corps in Vietnam for six years.

"I came home in '67 and people spit on me, called me baby killer, mercenary, terrorist and all of this, back in the protest era," said Robinson.

Robinson doesn't think that attitudes have changed too much since then.

Veteran's Day is Sunday, November 11, will you be honoring a veteran loved one?