11/11/2025
Good morning everyone, my Name is Matt Thompson and it is an honor to stand before you today as the Commander of VFW Post 7556 in Rochdale—and as a proud veteran of the United States Navy. I want to begin by thanking the Town of Leicester, our local officials, community members, and—most importantly—our veterans and their families for being here today to honor those who have served.
Veterans Day is more than just a date on the calendar—it’s a reflection of our nation’s gratitude. It began over a century ago, at the end of what was then called The Great War. On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, in 1918, the guns fell silent on the battlefields of Europe. That moment marked the armistice that ended World War I.
The following year, November 11th was commemorated as Armistice Day—a day dedicated to peace and to honoring those who fought in that terrible war.
Decades later, after World War II and the Korean War, millions more Americans had served in uniform. In recognition of their service and sacrifice, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 officially changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day—a day to honor all American veterans, of every era, living or passed.
Since then, each generation—whether in Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Iraq, Afghanistan, or in peacetime duty stations around the world—has continued to carry that proud legacy of service. And today, more than a hundred years after the first Armistice, we gather once again as a grateful nation to honor all who have worn the uniform.
As a Navy veteran, I know firsthand that service is more than a job—it’s a calling. It’s the early mornings, the deployments, the moments of uncertainty, and the pride that comes from knowing you’re part of something greater than yourself.
Those who have worn the uniform come from every background—farmers, teachers, students, parents—but they share one defining trait: the willingness to serve. To stand the watch so that others can live freely. To place duty above self.
Here in Leicester, we are fortunate to live in a community that remembers.
Year after year, we see families gather, schools teach the meaning of this day, and neighbors pause to honor those who served. That respect—that gratitude—is what keeps the spirit of Veterans Day alive.
But remembrance alone isn’t enough. Veterans Day is also a call to action. It reminds us that our duty to veterans doesn’t end when the ceremony concludes. It continues in how we support those transitioning back to civilian life—helping them find purpose, employment, community, and care. It means checking in on one another, lending a hand, or just listening. Those small acts of kindness are how we live out the promise of “no one left behind.”
And let us not forget the families—the spouses, parents, and children who serve in their own way. They endure long separations, sleepless nights, and the daily weight of worry. Their quiet strength sustains those in uniform and deserves our deepest gratitude.
As Commander of VFW Post 7556, I have the privilege of serving alongside men and women who continue to embody the values we learned in uniform—loyalty, duty, respect, and selfless service. We are proud to serve this community, and to ensure that no veteran is ever forgotten or alone.
So today, as we gather in reflection, let us honor our veterans not only with words, but with our actions. Let us carry their example forward—with integrity, with unity, and with a renewed sense of purpose.
Let us teach our children the meaning of this day, so that long after we are gone, the people of Leicester will still gather here, in gratitude, and say those same two simple words: thank you.
May God bless our veterans, may God bless the Town of Leicester, and may God bless the United States of America.
Thank you.
