- November 1, 2024
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A crowd assembles for Flagler County's Veterans Day service Nov. 12. (Photo by Jonathan Simmons)
FPC Formality Singers sing the national anthem.(Photo by Jonathan Simmons)
Junior ROTC cadets at the county's Veterans Day ceremony Nov. 12(Photo by Jonathan Simmons)
County officials stand for the national anthem. (Photo by Jonathan Simmons)
David Lyon (Photo by Jonathan Simmons)
Fireflight flies an American flag over the crowd. (Photo by Jonathan Simmons)
Hal Kushner tells the audience about his service and captivity in Vietnam. (Photo by Jonathan Simmons)
David Lydon presents Joe Kowalsky with the Veteran of the Year award. (Photo by Jonathan Simmons)
George Hanns, with VFW Post 8696. Hanns served as a county commissioner from 1992 to 2016. (Photo by Jonathan Simmons)
Members of Boy Scout Troop 400 participate in Flagler County's Veterans Day ceremony. (Photo by Jonathan Simmons)
Local Girl Scouts take part in the county's Veterans Day ceremony. (Photo by Jonathan Simmons)
Retired U.S. Army Col. Hal Kushner, an ophthalmologist in Daytona Beach, carries a card in his pocket.
The card is a Medal of Honor citation for Bill Port, who threw himself on a grenade in Vietnam in 1968, saving the lives of three of his comrades. Port was severely injured and later died in Kushner's arms, Kushner said, after both men were taken prisoner by the enemy.
"In battle, how do we reconcile our fear and survival instruct with a sense of duty and honor? We do it because we want to go home. We do it because we can't bear the shame of dishonor. And we do it for Mom, the flag and apple pie. But mostly, mostly, we do it for each other. We do it for other veterans."
— HAL KUSHNER
"I keep it on my desk, and I keep it in my wallet, and I read it very frequently," Kushner told the audience at Flagler County's Veterans Day ceremony outside of the Government Services Building Nov. 12.
It was the pain and death of fellow service members that cut deepest for Kushner during his more than five years of captivity after his capture following a helicopter crash — more than the hunger or the beatings or the exposure to heat and cold.
"The hardest part, for me, was watching our brothers waste away, give up hope and die," he said. "I had 13 people, 10 Americans, die in my arms during my captivity, and they are forever embedded in my mind."
When soldiers fight, he said, "Why do we do it? In battle, how do we reconcile our fear and survival instruct with a sense of duty and honor? We do it because we want to go home. We do it because we can't bear the shame of dishonor. And we do it for Mom, the flag and apple pie. But mostly, mostly, we do it for each other. We do it for other veterans."
Kushner concluded his speech with a call for fellow Americans to step forward and serve.
"In a sense, I think, we're all veterans since 9/11, and the soul of the nation requires sacrifice from us all to live here and enjoy its bounty and blessing. You didn't ask me, but I believe in universal service, not selective service, and I think that if we're lucky enough to be an American, we should be glad to serve our country in some aspect," he said. The audience applauded. "If you're a conscientious objector or a pacifist, you can drive ambulances, you can be a medic, you can Teach for America, you can be in the Peace Corps. There are lots of avenues."
Before presenting Joe Kowalsky with Flagler County's Veteran of the Year award, Flagler County Veterans Service Officer David Lydon noted to the audience at the county's Veterans Day ceremony that Kowalski was a "reluctant recipient" who'd thought the award should go to someone who did something "heroic" during their service.
But Kowalksy, Lyon said, is another kind of hero. "No one, and I mean no one, is contributing more personal time and energy to his fellow veterans, their families and our community than this veteran, " Lyon said.
Kowalsky, a Marine veteran, has volunteered since he moved to Flagler County in 1970 and represents the Marine Corps League on the Flagler County Veterans Advisory Council. He is also active in Disabled American Veterans Chapter 86 and Access Flagler.
Kowalsky urged other veterans to get involved.
"We all need to support our veterans' organizations throughout the county," he said. "There are a lot of veterans in Flagler County, and a lot of them need help. Let's get out there, join organizations and help them. There's plenty of room."
