The Villages - May 2022 - 28

SERVICE AND HONOR
For many veterans in The Villages, they may have
left the military, but the military never left them.
Comradery, service to their community and the
opportunity to honor the fallen have drawn many
veterans to join one of the many honor guard units
established in The Villages.
" You're never more alive than when you're
servicing others, " Neil Stapleton, commander of the
Philip C. DeLong Detachment #1267 of the Marine
Corps. League for The Villages, said. Neil's unit will be
assisting as part of the color guard at the Memorial
Day ceremony on May 30th.
" I got the most dedicated guys, " Neil said. " These
are typically guys that want to serve, they want to do
good for the community, and that's why we have so
many associate members. "
David Sylvia, who serves under Neal as chaplain for
the Marine Corps League admires the comradery that
he has found since joining the league and is especially
proud of Neal's leadership.
" I love it, " David said. " Just to see what they put
into it; they put their heart and soul into it. It comes
from the top down. Your attitude is a reflection of your
leader. "
For Neil, Memorial Day is a day to reflect on how
great America is thanks to the giving spirit of those
who serve, like his friend Gerry Cork, who served in
Vietnam with him. Cork was lucky enough to leave
Vietnam but felt the effects of Agent Orange for years
to come. He eventually lost that battle, and Neil never
forgot the sacrifice he made.
" We want to honor those people who paid the
ultimate price, " Neil said. " As the old saying goes,
'freedom is never free,' someone has to pay for it. "
Peggy and her unit share a similar mentality as
Neal and the Marine Corps League.
" My guys and girls, they're dedicated, " Peggy
said. " They want to do it. It's a way of still serving
and honoring our brothers and sisters. "
Rich Harinsky, a four-year member of the
Veterans Honor Guard of The Villages, honors
two families every Memorial Day: his father and
brothers who served in the Army and a close family
friend-- Walter Rosalie Jr. Rich has counted his
blessings since Walter's died in Vietnam.
" I was lucky I never had to do that again, " Rich
said, reflecting on his days as a staff sergeant during
the Vietnam War.
WHAT IS THE HONOR GUARD?
If you've never been to a Memorial Day ceremony,
there's still a good chance you may have already seen
the honor guard perform. It could've been before a
high school football game, or even before the World
Series. The honor guard is a military drill unit that
performs at various ceremonies and events honoring
the United States military, as well as soldiers who
have fallen in battle. Another unit that serves alongside
the honor guard is the color guard. Members
of the color guard are assigned to carry and display
the national flags. All members of both these units
serve as, in a sense, ambassadors, by being positive
exemplars of the military to the public. At some locations
throughout, they may serve as guardians for
national monuments in the United States. One such
location is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It is the
final resting place for three unidentified servicemen,
each from a different war: WWI, WWII and the Korean
War. The most important responsibility of the
honor guard, however, and arguably one of the most
difficult for any soldier, is rendering funeral honors
for fallen soldiers, which includes presenting a folded
flag of the United States to the next of kin.
If anyone is interested in joining the Veterans
Memorial Honor Guard, you can reach Peggy at
pegcam68@gmail.com.
I love it, just to see what
they put into it; they put their
heart and soul into it.
- David Sylvia
28
MAY 2022
The Villages - May 2022

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