Hackensack City honors veterans with ceremony, historical reading and call for expanded supports

Hackensack City held its annual Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 11, bringing together local officials, veterans' groups and residents for prayers, wreath presentations and speeches that combined remembrance with a call for sustained support for veterans.

The ceremony opened with a prayer from Father Brian Laufer and a presentation of the colors, after which American Legion Post 55 Commander Vincent Titoli welcomed the crowd and the moderator read a roll of local dignitaries in attendance. Assemblywoman Shama Hayter urged continued investment in veterans ccess to health care, affordable housing, education and employment, noting that New Jersey has "more than 300,000 veterans" and saying, "We should always remember with gratitude and pride the sacrifices of our veterans today and every day." Hayter framed those services as ongoing civic obligations rather than one-day tributes.

Veteran historian Bob Mili read selections from the memoirs of Admiral H. Kent Hewitt, describing Hewitt s a Hackensack native who rose through the Naval Academy to command major amphibious operations in World War II. Mili quoted a line from Hewitt's gravestone at Annapolis: "be just and fear not," and said the admiral's modesty helped keep him from wider renown despite his wartime contributions.

Mayor Gaines thanked veterans and their families and pressed for tangible follow-through on promises to service members, saying that ensuring "accessible and secure housing, including world class health care, including immediate access to mental health support, and creating clear pathways to stable civilian careers" are "the pillars of the civic debt we owe." He asked the community to keep veterans' needs at the forefront beyond ceremonial observances.

The program included wreath presentations from local veterans organizations, city departments, school district representatives, service clubs, health-care partners and county representatives. Organizers also noted that the American Legion and the VFW had informational tables on site for veterans interested in joining, and the moderator invited eligible residents to apply for the city's Veterans Banner program (banners run along Main Street from Memorial Day through shortly after Veterans Day; applications are listed on the city website).

The ceremony closed with a final prayer and thanks from organizers. No formal municipal actions or votes were taken; the event was a civic observance and community commemoration.