NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WVEC) -- Hampton Roads in surrounded by military history. From the French, American victory at Yorktown during the Revolutionary war in 1781 all the way to the present day.
On Friday, there was a noteworthy celebration at Fort Eustis. The Army saluted the post's 100th anniversary.
It was 1918, and World War One was underway, and Fort Eustis was born. From that moment until now, this post has sent soldiers to every U.S. conflict. On Friday, they celebrated a century of service.
The many accomplishments of Fort Eustis through the past ten decades were noted, as well they should be, said the Commanding General for the U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training.
"It helps ground us in our values as we talked about: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, personal courage, that which is the foundation of being a soldier in the United States Army," said Major General Malcolm Frost ."It's tremendously important, we've got to pause with history to understand what's happening today, and what the future bodes for this great country of ours'."
Friday's ceremony centered on the placing of items into a time capsule. The time capsule was put into the ground, and won't be open for another hundred years, in 2118.
The gathering was also a salute to the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, and the Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant William Seay. He was killed in action in a convoy ambush in Vietnam in 1968.
Seay's second cousin, Major General Robert Dyess, spoke of the need to always remember such heroes.
"Today, less than one percent of our nation's population serves in uniform, a smaller percentage than we've seen in decades," he said. "That's why events like this are so important."
Dyess also talked about loss, and the importance of carrying on.
"While the loss of our fallen warriors is profound, we must not sink into despair, but, rather, we should celebrate their lives and their service for generations to come," he said.
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