November 12, 2026 Submitted by Liz Klein with Photos courtesy of Harbor Media
The following welcome speech was provided by Liz Klein at this year’s Hingham Veterans Day Service held on November 11th, 2026 at Hingham Town Hall.
To our veterans, our Gold Star families, the families who have supported those who served, our active-duty service members, first responders, elected officials, and everyone who has joined us today—thank you for being here.
It is an honor to stand before you as Chair of the Hingham Select Board on Veterans Day.
Today is a day to pause and recognize the men and women who have worn the uniform of our country.
Veterans Day is different from Memorial Day. On Memorial Day, we remember those who gave their lives in service to our nation. Today, we honor all who have served—including those who came home, built families, pursued careers, volunteered in their communities, and continued to serve in countless ways.
And I think that distinction is important.
Because when we look around Hingham, we don’t always know who among us is a veteran. They may be our neighbors, our teachers, our coaches, our colleagues, or our friends. Their service may not be something they talk about, but it is a part of who they are—and something we should recognize and appreciate.
I had the opportunity to hear Bill Brett discuss his latest book, Boston Veterans Appreciation. What struck me most was the diversity of the stories. There is no single way to be a veteran, and no single path after military service.
One of the stories features four men who met while living here in Hingham: William Ramsey, Michael Manning, Matthew Hanlon, and Keith Jermyn. They did not serve together, but they share the bond of having served their country.
I’d like to highlight Bill Ramsey’s story. Bill served in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division as a legal advisor. He also served in Baghdad, advising a Department of Defense task force investigating interrogation practices during Operation Iraqi Freedom. His military service earned him numerous awards, including the Bronze Star Medal and Parachutist Badge.
But Bill’s commitment to public service didn’t end with his military career. He went on to serve as a military judge and was appointed in 2017 to the U.S. Army’s First Judicial Circuit. He has also taught constitutional and military law at West Point and continued a distinguished career in public service.
Bill’s story reminds us that the qualities developed through military service—leadership, integrity, discipline, and a commitment to something larger than ourselves—continue to shape how veterans serve their communities long after they leave the military.
The other three Hingham veterans featured in Bill Brett’s book have equally meaningful stories.
Mike Manning spent 25 years in the Army, rising to the rank of colonel, with service in places including Kosovo and Iraq. His numerous awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star Medal. He went on to become a professor of engineering leadership at Northeastern University.
Matt Hanlon graduated from West Point and served as an Army Signal Corps officer, with deployments to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Haiti. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Joint Service Achievement Medal.
Senior Chief Petty Officer Keith Jermyn graduated from Hingham High School and joined the Navy the day after graduation. He served for nearly three decades, including deployments during Desert Shield and Desert Storm and in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After retiring, he continued helping veterans as a Veterans’ Services Officer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Four men. Four different careers. Four different military experiences. But one common thread: service.
Bill Brett’s work also tells the story of Mildred “Millie” Cox, one of the first women to join the United States Marine Corps and a World War II veteran.
Millie joined the Marines on her 20th birthday as a corporal. She later recalled that her office work freed up another Marine to fight. After leaving the military in 1946, she continued serving veterans in Quincy, eventually becoming head clerk of Veterans Services. She remained active in the Marine Corps League and the Women Marines Association for decades.
Millie’s story reminds us that military service has never been limited to one kind of person. Men and women have served, in combat and behind the scenes, and many have continued serving their communities long after their military careers ended.
When you look at all of these stories, a common theme emerges.
Service doesn’t end when the uniform comes off.
For many veterans, it becomes part of who they are for the rest of their lives. It shapes how they lead, how they work, how they raise their families, and how they contribute to their communities.
Our veterans have made a commitment that most of us will never be asked to make: to put the needs of our country and our fellow citizens ahead of their own.
They have served in times of peace and in times of war. They have served at home and around the world. And that service comes at a cost—sometimes visible, sometimes invisible.
So today, we say something very simple, but deeply meaningful:
Thank you.
Thank you for your courage.
Thank you for your sacrifice.
Thank you for your willingness to serve.
And thank you for the example you have given all of us about duty, commitment, and putting something larger than ourselves first.
Here in Hingham, we are fortunate to have a community that takes its history and traditions seriously. We understand that the freedoms and opportunities we enjoy today did not simply happen. They have been protected and preserved by generations of Americans willing to serve.
And it is our responsibility as a community to make sure their service is never forgotten.
That means supporting our veterans, making sure they can access the services and benefits they have earned, checking in on those who may be struggling, and teaching the next generation what service and sacrifice truly mean.
To the veterans here with us, and to every veteran in our community:
We see you.
We remember your service.
We are grateful for your sacrifice.
And we are proud to call you our neighbors.
On behalf of the Town of Hingham and the Select Board, thank you for what you have done, what you continue to do, and for showing all of us what it means to serve.
Happy Veterans Day.