Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Veterans topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Veteran Gary Coppage recounts multi-generational military service, offers Independence Day salute
Summary
Gary Coppage, a U.S. Air Force veteran, told the meeting he served from 1971–1979 and that generations of his family served in U.S. conflicts; he closed by relaying the Fairway Lions Club’s “Happy birthday, America!” message.
Gary Coppage, a U.S. Air Force veteran, addressed the meeting during the public-comment period and recounted multiple generations of his family's military service. "My name is Gary Coppage," he said, adding that he served in the Air Force from 1971 to 1979 and spent time in Vietnam while based in Thailand.
Coppage described his duties in the Air Force, saying he worked as an aircraft mechanic for his first five years, served as a flight mechanic at NKP in Thailand and later worked on Titan II intercontinental ballistic missiles after returning to the United States. He said those assignments also make him a Cold War veteran.
He traced his family's service back farther: a great-grandfather who served in the Confederacy and relatives who served in World War I and World War II, including his father, Charlie Coppage, whom he said served in the 360th Tank Battalion in World War II.
Coppage framed the remarks as patriotic reflection tied to the nation’s milestone: "the 250th is a quite an accomplishment," he said, and he offered holiday wishes to attendees. He concluded by relaying a message from the Fairway Lions Club: "Happy birthday, America!" The remarks ended to audible reaction from the room.
No motions or formal actions followed the comment; the speaker’s remarks were presented as a personal testimony and holiday salute.
