LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Honor Guard members shot off their guns at the conclusion of the Memorial Day Commemoration Ceremony at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville on Monday.
Ray Goings has been a volunteer for the Honor Guard for about 25 years. The Vietnam Veteran felt driven to be a part of the final honors of the fallen soldiers.
“It is again, the final closure for all veterans who gave their total cause for life and death to honor the benefits and citizens of the United States,” Goings said.
There are 18 members in this Honor Guard VFW Post 1170. The volunteers spend many hours honoring those who have passed away.
“We instill in them the meaningful duties that we do and honoring of the veteran and, for the most part, most of our guys do that.”
Mike Ochs is another member of the Honor Guard who’s been doing it for 17 years. He feels it is important to honor those who lost their lives serving the country.
“Veterans, current service members and the families, they all know what the sacrifice to serve is. And for those before us, paid the ultimate sacrifice, friends that I’ve had. It’s not too hard to see how important these kind of events are,” Ochs said.
It’s a value he puts into action.
“Whenever there are services, everybody knows to block their calendars because we are doing every service we are asked to do because it’s the least we can do to honor our fallen,” he explained.
For Goings, his role also means honoring his family.
“My father, he served in World War I and after I got back looking back on the whole situation he was involved in during World War I, dealing with PTSD, back then they called in shell-shock, in that term set my mind to honor the veterans,” Goings said.
Ray Goings has been a volunteer for the Honor Guard for about 25 years.
The Vietnam Veteran felt driven to be a part of the final honors of the fallen soldiers.
“It is again, the final closure for all veterans who gave their total cause for life and death to honor the benefits and citizens of the United States,” Goings said.
There are 18 members in this Honor Guard VFW Post 1170. The volunteers spend many hours honoring those who have passed away.
“We instill in them the meaningful duties that we do and honoring of the veteran and for the most part, most of our guys do that.”
Mike Ochs, has been in the Honor Guard for 17 years and feels it is important to honor those who lost their lives serving the country.
“Veterans, current service members and the families, they all know what the sacrifice to serve is. And for those before us, paid the ultimate sacrifice, friends that I’ve had. It’s not too hard to see how important these kind of events are,” Ochs said.
A value, he puts into action.
“Whenever there are services, everybody knows to block their calendars because we are doing every service we are asked to do because it’s the least we can do to honor our fallen.”
For Goings, his role also means honoring his family.
“My father, he served in World War I and after I got back looking back on the whole situation he was involved in during World War I, dealing with PTSD, back then they called in shell-shock, in that term set my mind to honor the veterans,” Goings said.
The Honor Guard ceremony includes the folding and presentation of the American flag, and the playing of Taps. The Cave Hill ceremony was one of several Memorial Day events taking place across the commonwealth to honor fallen soldiers.