Due to COVID-19, this year there was no in-person Veterans Ceremony held at City Hall. However, the Lakewood City Council virtually honored and remembered the valor and sacrifices of current and veteran members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine during its November 2, 2020 Lakewood City Council meeting.
At this meeting, the Lakewood City Council proclaimed November 11, 2020 as Veterans Day and November 2020 as Veterans Appreciation Month. The full proclamation can be read here. The City Council meeting can be watched below.
Colonel Jonathon Chung, the Combat Team Commander of the 2/2 Stryker Brigade, was present for the proclamation.
“On behalf of all the soldier and veterans of 2/2 Stryker Brigade, along with all those soldiers that live within this great Lakewood community, thank you for this presentation of the proclamation by the Lakewood City Council. It’s truly an honor.
You know as we approach Veterans Day the Lancer Brigade is grateful for all communities across the nation for recognizing those that have served in the military. And although the call to serve may come from different reasons, make no mistake about it, every soldier shares that same responsibility of building trust with the American people. And Lakewood itself embodies the community that understands that shared responsibility of trust, safety, and security.
The community connector relationship between 2/2 Stryker Brigade and the city of Lakewood has been tremendous and impactful.”
Colonel Johnathon Chung
Lakewood is a proud host community to Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), the largest military base on the west coast and the only Army Power Projection Platform west of the Rocky Mountains. The Joint Base employees over 40,000 active duty service members and 17,000 civilians. In addition, there over 86,000 veterans living in Pierce County and 8,739 veterans living in Lakewood.
Lakewood is a member of the South Sound Military & Communities Partnership (SSMCP), which services as a regional partnership that focuses on the nexus between South Sound communities and Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The Partnership consists of over 50 member organizations spanning a broad range of interests from local government with the Nisqually Tribal community, Pierce and Thurston counties, 12 cities, various county and state agencies, several chambers of commerce and numerous non-profit organizations working in collaboration to resolve cross-jurisdictional regional concerns.
