JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The annual Veterans Day parade took over downtown Jacksonville on Thursday morning!
The event marked a dazzling display of patriotism in Jacksonville, with people standing shoulder to shoulder across a stretch of two miles to honor our men and women in the military who have made this city their home.
“We love supporting and we’re just here to support,” said Weston Shelton, a Midshipman, Third Class.
For some volunteers like Shelton and his fellow Midshipman Levi Clark, it’s a first. “It’s an honor to be participating in the front,” Clark said.
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For 20-year Navy veteran Iran Smith, it’s a sacred annual tradition. He’s been marching in the parade for the past six years.
“It feels wonderful to see all the people on the side, they’re cheering people on, they’re saluting you back for being in the military and saying ‘Thank you for your service’ and I really appreciate that,” Smith said.
Though he’s been retired from the Navy for 11 years, he volunteers for the Disabled American Veterans organization, and marches because he feels it’s still important to serve in some way.
“I wanna give back to the community,” he pointed out. For others in the crowd, this parade marks the conclusion of a special chapter. “It is significant to us because we’re supposed to be rotating out of Jacksonville and so this might be my husband’s last parade here in the city,” said Navy spouse Shelby Pruitt. Her husband is Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jared Pruitt, and he plays the euphonium instrument in the Navy band. Shelby was at the parade with their seven children to cheer him on.
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“I am feeling sentimental,” she remarked. “I’m also excited for the children to get to have this outing and celebrate their father and his Navy career. He’s done very well and we’re very proud of him.” Around 17 floats and 3,800 people were in the parade this year. That’s compared to five floats last year.
This marks the successful return of an event which gives our men and women in uniform the chance to create a meaningful connection with the people of Jacksonville. “Everyone that’s out here wants to be out here, so it’s great,” Shelton pointed out. “I’m thankful that I’m part of it,” Smith added.