An unnatural hush fell over the hundred or so spectators between the clubhouse and 18th green at 7:30 on Friday morning. Opening-round play had been underway for close to an hour with players itching to get started after hunkering down while Hurricane Nicole rolled through Florida on Thursday. But those who saw the gathering stopped. Paula Reto, heading into the locker room before her tee time paused and stood at attention. And former PGA Tour player and noted coach Grant Waite interrupted his march to the first tee for a moment of reflection and respect.

It is the 11th day of the 11th month, Armistice Day or as Americans have come to know it, Veterans Day, a time to honor and remember all who donned the uniform and defended the nation. At precisely 7:30 a.m. a color guard from MacDill Air Force Base marched onto the grounds of the course and presented the flag. Then Rachel Smith, a vocal coach and worship leader in Pinellas County who is married to a retired veteran, gave a moving acapella rendition of the national anthem.

After that, with the crowd swelling around the large flagpole, retired army Col Sean Corrigan, a former special operator with a chest full of ribbons and beret that signified a special place in history, stood up and told the story of his first Veterans Day memory.

“My grandparents took me out to a ceremony in Conde, South Dakota, which was a little different than this – it was about 30 degrees and the wind was howling across the plain,” Col Corrigan said. “But men from the American Legion, post 48 had an honor guard. And they were wearing their World War I uniforms, their World War II uniforms, their Korean War uniforms, and their Vietnam uniforms. Now keep in mind this was 1970 when it wasn’t popular to be in the military. But those men were proud. And the people there paid their respects to all veterans. That had an impact on me for the rest of my life.”

Then Corrigan quoted the book of Isaiah. “Young men and women have been standing up, taking on the challenge of defending our nation for 250 years,” he said. “Since the 1970s, it’s been an all-volunteer force. ‘Whom shall I send. And who will go for us,’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me.’

“Right now, only 23% of all Americans of enlistment age meet the bare minimum requirements to join the Army,” Corrigan continued. “We really do have the best and the brightest fighting for our nation. Over my 30 years, any time I met men and women from all branches of the service, I thanked them for their service. Especially after 9/11, those who stayed in (the service) knowing they were in for a fight, and those who joined knowing they were in for a fight. They knew they could be doing something safer, something more comfortable, and something more lucrative. But they chose instead to serve their country. That says something about the quality and character of our people under arms.

“Sometimes things don’t work out and some folks don’t come home – a lot of memorial services; a lot of names going up on granite walls. So when I retired, I started working for a nonprofit supporting the children of fallen special operations warriors. I was recently at a fundraising event. I saw the kids that the fundraiser was being held for and I went up to one of them and said, ‘Sydney, I visited your dad today,’ and she gave me the biggest hug. That’s what our mission today is all about. Their service is their families’ sacrifice.”

Corrigan then introduced Lori Larson, a retired army intelligence officer and Afghanistan veteran who served as CENTCOM liaison officer among other postings.

“Americans warriors, past, present and future, have always produced a ready force defending America,” Corrigan said. “Veterans Day honors the men and women who have served at all levels of the armed forces.

“Yesterday’s warriors are an inspiration to us all. Today we honor the troops who stormed the beaches of Normandy and held fast on and off the shores of Iwo Jima; those who fought through the rice paddies of Korea and who flew over the jungles of Vietnam. Today we honor those who have rucked up for the past two decades in Iraq and Afghanistan and those who have stood ready for two-and-a-half centuries from sea to shining sea.

“Even as we honor those who have given so much, we know that more veterans will join our ranks. Today’s forces will continue to complete some of the most difficult missions our nation can ask of them, carrying on the long the tradition of defending America and her citizens. They will press forward to deter conflict, project power, and win wars with the same determination and spirit that we recognize as uniquely American.

“I just want to reiterate to all veterans. Thank you for your unwavering service. Thank you to your families who supported your commitment to defending America and her ideals. And thank you for being here each day to welcome new veterans to our ranks. Thank you for your steadfast dedication to our nation. And for my part, I am honored to stand among you as a veteran in the ranks of the most effective fighting force in the world.

“In the midst of watching this great game and these tremendous athletes today, I encourage you to take a minute to honor all the veterans here and around the country who have done so much to ensure that we may experience the freedom we have today.

“In the words of John F. Kennedy, ‘As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.’”

The ceremony has become a Pelican Women’s Championship tradition. But it never gets old. And it never loses its meaning.

Pelican Women’s Championship Honors Veterans

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