Marine veteran urges remembrance, cites veteran death toll at Gardner ceremony

Garrett Foley, a Marine Corps veteran and program manager at the Monachusett Veterans Outreach Center, told Gardner City's Memorial Day audience that remembrance must include support for veterans living with trauma and loss.

"As of today, we still lose about 17 veterans a day," Foley said, arguing that remembrance should prompt action to check on and support veterans in the community. He framed Memorial Day as a moment to honor those who died and to recognize the ongoing struggles of those who returned home.

Foley cited battlefield casualties and post-service losses while urging attendees to remember veterans as people with families and futures cut short. He said his generation lost "over 4,400 service members" in contemporary combat and cited "over 58,000" U.S. deaths in the Vietnam War era as context for the broader human cost he described.

Foley asked the audience to make a "promise" to remember names and stories, to look out for veterans who may appear to be fine but are struggling, and to carry the legacy of service forward through concrete care and attention.

The remarks came during an otherwise ceremonial program that included elected officials' remarks, a Gettysburg Address reading and musical tributes.