The Borough of Rumson’s Mayor and Council honored Veterans Day with its annual ceremony at Victory Park Monday, November 11, 2019 at 11:00 a.m.

Following his welcoming comments, Mayor Joseph K. Hemphill introduced Pastor John Monroe of the First Presbyterian Church of Rumson for the Invocation, followed by the National Anthem sung by Mackenzie Doherty, a sophomore at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School. The Mayor then introduced the ceremony speaker Rumson resident Garner Smythe.

Smythe served in the United States Marine Corps as an infantry officer from 2006 to 2010 with the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, based in Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. During his four years of active duty, Officer Smythe was deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Republic of Georgia. Prior to the Marine Corps, Smythe was a participant in the NROTC program at Villanova University, which is where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Today, after completing his Masters of Public Administration at NYU’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, Garner is the Director of Network Operations for the orthopedic service line with Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH).

The speaker’s comments focused on the foundation of Veterans Day, as he recited an official communication from Dwight D. Eisenhower in order to recall the true meaning of the day and the importance of honoring all who are actively serving as well as those who have served in the United States Armed Services. In closing, Smythe recognized the veterans in attendance and encouraged all to remember and personally thank the veterans they meet, not only on Veterans Day, but at every opportunity.

Services concluded with the Benediction by Pastor John Monroe.