Remembering the military veterans in Inwood

The gathering of the John J. Olivero Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1582 members becomes smaller every year, but no less important to those men and their families who gathered at the memorial at the intersection of Doughty Boulevard and Mott Avenue in Inwood for a Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 11.

Etched into one of the monument’s pillars are the words, “Dedicated To The Memory of Americans Who Served Their Country In the Cause for Freedom,” and that is what Veterans Day is about — honoring all the men and women who served in all the branches of the United States military in every war the country has fought.

For VFW Post 1582 Commander Frank Santoro Veterans days is, “A constant reminder that we answered the call and did what was asked for the cause of freedom. A constant reminder that by the grace of God we were the ones who came home. And we must be constantly supportive of what I like to call, ‘the best we have to offer,’ our military of today.

“We must be supportive of our present military for battling a way against tyranny and terrorism all over this globe,” added Santoro, whose father, John, was also the post’s commander 1959 to 1960. “And when they return home the VFW will be there for them. We’ll be there for them for our many programs, help them readjust and to help them navigate the great behemoth known as the Veterans Administration.”