In observance of Veterans Day, the Village of Rockville Centre held a ceremony Tuesday morning inside the John A. Anderson Recreation Center to honor and recognize local veterans, including U.S. Army veteran Mike Betzag, and thank them for their service.
“It was an eye-opening experience,” Betzag said of his time in the military. “I got to see and meet different people from different parts of the country, with such a wide variety of personalities.”
Betzag, now 81, said he “grew up in the service.” He was only 18 when he enlisted and served from 1962 to 1965, stationed at Fort Dix in New Jersey — where he completed eight weeks of truck driver training — and at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, in a transportation unit.
“We had over a hundred and some odd trucks,” he said. “The first year we drove from Fort Sill up to Fort Carson, Colorado, picked up the Fifth Infantry Division, and then went to the Yakima firing range in Washington.”
Although he never left the United States or saw combat, Betzag said he took part in war games for several weeks before returning to base.
“The next year, I drove a 1,200-gallon gas truck from Fort Sill out to the Arizona-California border and lived in the Mojave Desert for about four weeks,” he said. “We played war games and came back.”
When he returned home at age 20, Betzag admitted he didn’t yet know what to do next.
“I was mixed up. I was confused. I didn’t know what was going on,” he said. “Finally, I came to my senses, met a girl and got married.”
Rockville Centre is home to more than 1,000 veterans like Betzag, several of whom attended Tuesday’s ceremony.
“We have to support our veterans and our military,” Betzag said. “We got to keep this country strong.”
Veterans Day was first celebrated on Nov. 11, 1918, to commemorate the armistice between the Allies and German forces, effectively calling for the ceasefire that ended World War I. Originally dubbed “Armistice Day,” it is observed each year on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
The ceremony opened with the Pledge of Allegiance led by the Boy Scouts of Rockville Centre, followed by a presentation of colors by the Rockville Centre Fire Department and a benediction from American Legion Post 303 Chaplain Mark Getman.
“On this Veterans Day, we pause with reverence to honor the men and women who have worn the uniform of our nation,” said Joe Scarola, past county commander and member of American Legion Post 303, who led the ceremony. “All veterans have carried the weight of liberty on their shoulders. Our safety and freedoms were earned by those in uniform. We are here to say that we do not take their service for granted.”
Scarola also spoke of veterans’ continued service beyond the battlefield — mentoring youth, responding to disasters, and honoring the fallen — before calling for a moment of remembrance for those still missing in action. An empty chair was placed in front as a symbolic gesture to represent the thousands of American POWs and MIAs unaccounted for from all wars and conflicts.
“Honoring veterans is not confined to a single day,” Scarola said. “It is a lifelong commitment reflected in how we care for those who serve, how we teach future generations, and how we live as citizens worthy of their sacrifice.”
Congresswoman Laura Gillen, who represents roughly 16,000 veterans across her district, also shared her thoughts about the holiday and the importance of recognizing those who answered the call of service to protect our freedoms.
“It is a privilege to join each and every one of you to honor the veterans who have so nobly served our country,” Gillen said. “It’s often said, but should often be repeated, that freedom is not free. As Americans, we owe a deep debt of gratitude to every single service member. And as a country, we have a solid responsibility to do everything we can to take care of our veterans.”
Gillen recognized all of the military veterans and Gold Star families in attendance, adding, “you represent the very best of Long Island. You are patriots, leaders and heroes right here in our community, who make this place a better place to live. Your courage, resilience, and service inspire us all.”
Mayor Francis X. Murray closed by thanking American Legion Post 303 for organizing the event and keeping the tradition alive.
“Each year, we gather to express our deepest appreciation for those who have served and continue to serve,” Murray said. “Seeing our residents, families, and children come together to honor our veterans is a powerful reminder of how deeply gratitude runs in Rockville Centre.”
The ceremony concluded with the symbolic ringing of the bell.
