Eagle Memorial Project Honors Military

COLD SPRING – Life Scout Cameron Compare of Troop 73 has his eyes set on Eagle Scout. The 13-year-old and his troop dedicated his Eagle Scout project Nov. 5 at Cold Spring Presbyterian Cemetery surrounded by military officers, some from the White House, veterans and family. 
Compare’s idea became reality, when he created a place to honor veterans in a setting surrounded by flags of each military service and the Merchant Marine. The American and POW-MIA flags tower over the others.
A place has been set aside for retired American flags before proper retirement. All that was executed by Compare with donations totaling over $30,000. Some of those donations were from veterans’ organizations Compare had addressed to detail his concept to honor their comrades and them.
A crowd of about 200 attended the ceremony in the southeastern section of a cemetery in which rest the remains of veterans from every war since the Revolution.
With the Coast Guard Training Center Color Guard in attendance, the ceremony was opened with a prayer by Rev. Dr. Pastor Kevin Yoho.
Troop 73 scouts united to raise large American and POW-MIA flags.
After that, military flags were raised:
Army, by Spec. 5 George Carpenter.
Marine Corps, by Lt. Col. Scott Volkert, a pilot of Marine One.
Navy, Rear Adm. Dr. Ronny L. Jackson, physician to the president.
Air Force, Master Sgt. Dick Ryan.
Coast Guard, Capt. Dan Walsh, deputy director of the White House Military Office.
Merchant Marine, Able-bodied Seaman John “Jack” Seubert.
Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-1st) presented Compare with a resolution from Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno attesting to the project’s worth on behalf of the state’s veterans.
As Volkert addressed Compare, whom he had known much of his life, a TBF Avenger, a World War II airplane similar to the one once piloted by President George H.W. Bush, made a low pass over the ceremony.
Lower Township Mayor Michael Beck presented Compare with a resolution from the municipal governing body. Beck recalled President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address when he said that the sacrifices made by veterans buried there had already consecrated that hallowed ground.
After those presentations, Compare was joined by the scouts who had assisted in making the memorial a reality. They united to unveil a granite monument with a cut-out silhouette of a saluting veteran.
Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton, an Air Force veteran, addressed Compare and the group on behalf of the board. Compare previously appeared before the freeholder board and invited them to attend. 
Robert Sandman, son of a veteran, the late Honorable Charles W. Sandman, delivered an address to the scouts and veterans.
A rifle salute by Stone Harbor American Legion Post 331 closed the ceremony.