More than 150 residents, veterans and community leaders gathered November 11 at the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Center for the township’s annual Veterans Day ceremony, a tribute to those who served and a reminder of the sacrifices behind the nation’s freedoms.
Pastor Doug Heagy of Mt. Lebanon United Lutheran Church delivered the invocation and benediction. The ceremony opened with remarks from Commission President Craig Grella, who said attending the event is “one of my biggest honors and privileges.” He urged the crowd to carry the day’s message beyond the ceremony.
“We can’t forget veterans fought for the very freedoms we have today—to assemble in public, speak our minds and pursue our dreams,” Grella said.
Scout Troop 284 presented the colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
The keynote address was delivered by Navy SEAL veteran and Mt. Lebanon Firefighter Brian Loughridge. He reflected on moving to Mt. Lebanon with his wife 15 years ago, noting that “a community like Mt. Lebanon doesn’t just come from nowhere.”
Loughridge expressed concern over declining military participation, noting that about 20 percent of American adults were veterans in the 1980s compared with fewer than 6 percent today.
“People think the military is boot camp—who wants to be screamed at face-to-face for four years? But that’s wrong,” he said. “Boot camp is testing and training. Afterward, you’re given tremendous responsibility, you get to travel the world and you receive unlimited training. It’s an incredible experience.”
He credited the military for shaping his career and character. “The discipline, the integrity, the respect for others—and the diversity you encounter—are things the world needs now more than ever.”
Loughridge also spoke about the complex emotions Veterans Day can bring. He shared the story of a coworker who calls it the “worst day of the year” after losing his best friend—who enlisted with him through the buddy system—to an IED in Iraq.
“Veterans Day means different things to different people,” Loughridge said. “I have some friends that go out and do a guy’s weekend, party, have fun. I also know people that sit in the basement, close the door, and don’t want anyone near them. Veterans don’t separate Memorial Day and Veterans Day—they’re one and the same.”
He concluded with a message familiar to many who have served: “If not me, then who?”
“My challenge to everyone here is to incorporate that saying into your own life—whether it’s a small chore, a random act of kindness or something bigger. You might be surprised by what it does. We call that the veteran way.”
The Mt. Lebanon High School Triple Trio performed the national anthem and later “God Bless America,” bringing the ceremony to a moving close.
