<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4VCUln_1GzzmDlj00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4VCUln_1GzzmDlj00" width="375" height="500" ><figcaption>American Legion members raise the flag during Wednesday's Veterans Day event. Marissa Muller, Staff</figcaption></figure>Veterans, their families and Kings County residents gathered for a Veterans Day ceremony at the Old Hanford Cemetery on Wednesday morning.The event, which was organized by American Legion and its affiliated groups, kicked off with the Legion Riders riding in on motorcycles decked out in American and military flags. Later, Naval Air Station Lemoore Commanding Officer Capt. Jeffry Findlay gave remarks.“We often talk about service in terms of deployments, missions, and accomplishments,” Findlay said. “But I think most veterans would agree that when you look back on your time in uniform, what stays with you are the people.”Findlay, who took command of NAS Lemoore this August, stressed the 2026 Veterans Day theme: Veterans Helping Veterans and Their Families. While family members did not directly serve in the military, their support was also a form of service, Findlay said.“We know the challenges at the deployments and long separations. And we know that the people waiting at home often carry just as much of the burden as those serving overseas,” Findlay said.The U.S. military relies on a group commitment from sailors, civilian employees, contractors and military families. For an aircraft to take flight, hundreds of people need to work together.This is the first Veterans Day since the start of the Iran War — which was not mentioned by any of the speakers. The war remains controversial, with 73% of Americans saying they are concerned about higher gas prices caused by the conflict.NAS Lemoore is actively involved in the war effort, and last month, several Lemoore-based squadrons returned from one of the Navy’s longest deployments, which was on the USS Abraham Lincoln.Findlay also spoke on the importance of supporting veterans.“Reach out to a veteran. Ask how they're doing. Listen to their story,” Findlay said. “Honoring service isn't just about remembering the past. It's also about how we treat one another today.”For veteran Jack Alford, Veterans Day means celebrating “togetherness.”“This is my community,” Alford said, becoming visibly choked up.David Darrow, American Legion Riders vice director, said that celebrating Veterans Day is important to honor local servicemembers.“A lot of veterans don't know how to voice what they experienced. A lot of veterans, including myself, shut down,” Darrow said. “You have to find that voice. The biggest thing is that camaraderie.”Later in the afternoon, he and other American Legion members went to Hanford’s Remington Senior Living to visit veterans who weren’t able to make the ceremony. It’s one ways they stay connected to the Kings County veterans community.“It’s very close knit. We all know each other,” Darrow said.While the Kings County veteran community has done a lot of work supporting one another through local programs, funeral escorts and fundraising, local veterans still face issues accessing healthcare.Darrow said that while the Department of Veterans Affairs has improved in the last decade, he thinks it still has a ways to go.“For example, it takes months to get an appointment sometimes,” he said. Another issue is that Kings County doesn’t have a V.A. clinic — the closest one is in Visalia. And for some services, veterans have to travel even farther.“We have to go all the way to Fresno to get basic blood work,” he said.Darrow wants to see accessible healthcare for veterans closer to home.“There’s a lot of vets here in Hanford and Lemoore that a small clinic could serve,” Darrow said.</div></body>

Block Source: Hanford Sentinel

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Veterans, their families and Kings County residents gathered for a Veterans Day ceremony at the Old Hanford Cemetery on Wednesday morning. The event, which was organized by American Legion and its affiliated groups, kicked off with the Legion Riders riding in on motorcycles decked out in American and military flags. Later, Naval Air Station Lemoore Commanding Officer Capt. Jeffry Findlay gave remarks.

NAS Lemoore commanding officer speaks at Hanford Veterans Day event

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Veterans, their families and Kings County residents gathered for a Veterans Day ceremony at the Old Hanford Cemetery on Wednesday morning. The event, which

NAS Lemoore commanding officer speaks at Hanford Veterans Day event

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