KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. — A special day in the Outer Banks as communities came together to celebrate Veterans Day. A day to remember the sacrifices our veterans made to serve our country.
"I'm proud to be an American. I'm proud to serve the flag. I'm proud to serve the country," said retired Navy Capt. Robert Wasalaski.
Wasalaski was the guest speaker at Tuesday's Veterans Day ceremony in Nags Head. His military service spanned three decades. His service included two deployments during the Vietnam War and being involved as an expert when ships were damaged in a number of conflicts up until Sept. 11, 2001.
"When I went to work for the Navy, often if ships got damaged, I was called upon to go and help them," said Wasalaski.
A number of Veterans Day events happened in the Outer Banks on Tuesday. News 3 traveled to the events in Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills. Community leaders and residents took the time to thank our local veterans for their service and sacrifice.
"It means a lot to these people, to the fellow veterans, for us all to get together," said Wasalaski.
Veterans Day is a time for each veteran to reflect about their time in the military.
"To me, Veterans Day is about all the time we miss away from our families," said Kelli Harmon, a U.S. Army veteran and the Outer Banks American Legion Post commander.
Harmon served in the Army for 7½ years and deployed to Afghanistan with the 4th Infantry Division and worked on missile systems.
"We often think about our time overseas. While my tour in Afghanistan was important, some veterans never do time at war, especially now during a time of peace. But we all miss holidays, we all miss special birthdays, we all miss time with our family," said Harmon.
It's a day for all Americans to say thank you to our veterans, who make up 10% of the population in the Outer Banks. Veterans tell me it's not just this day they feel supported here, but every day.
"It's amazing how many people will stop and take a moment to thank you, not just for serving or for the sacrifices that you've made, but also for just being you. They'll take a moment and tell you a few of the things that they're grateful to have the opportunity to do because of the sacrifices of our military's veterans," said Harmon.
Harmon shared that any veteran in the Outer Banks or who visits the area frequently is able to get involved with the Outer Banks American Legion by texting "join" to (252) 272-6465.
