AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Community members, veterans, military families and local leaders gathered Monday at the All Wars Memorial in Olde Town Augusta to honor the men and women who died while serving the United States.

The Augusta CRSA “America 250” Memorial Day Ceremony featured patriotic music, prayers, a roll call honoring local veterans organizations and remarks from city and military leaders.

Major General Ryan Janovic with the U.S. Army at Fort Gordon says Memorial Day is a time to remember service members who never returned home.

“I myself have been deployed with a brigade who didn’t bring everybody home,” Janovic said. “I remember the faces, families and the ceremonies.”

Janovic says the day carries a deeper meaning for many veterans and military families.

“Memorial Day is an American time to get quiet and remember those who didn’t come home from serving overseas and defending our way of life,” Janovic said.

Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson also spoke about the connection between Memorial Day and the Augusta CSRA’s “America 250” observance, which marks the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary.

“We have been involved in every major conflict since this nation even became a country,” Johnson said. “From the Revoluntionary War to the Vietnam War to the Korean conflict, to World War I and II, Augusta has been the fabric of America.”

The ceremony also focused on teaching younger generations about the sacrifices made be service members.

Janovic says be believes younger people understand the importance of the day.

“I have an 18-year-old son, so that question hits home well,” Janovic said. “He knows this is a special day and his friends do as well.”

Timothy Tyler, volunteer with the Augusta Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars, says he hopes people remember the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces.

“Here we have three great memorials to the different people from the CSRA who made the ultimate sacrifice,” Tyler said. “I just hope people remember all the sacrifices.”

Organizers say events like this help make sure the stories and sacrifices of fallen service members are never forgotten.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – VA Augusta and the American Legion Riders held a Memorial Day ceremony Sunday morning to honor service members who died in military service.

The Ride 2 Remember event took place at 11 a.m. at the VA Augusta Uptown campus at 1 Freedom Way. The ceremony included a motorcycle tribute ride and wreath-laying.

Thomas Pinckney, senior department vice commander for the American Legion Department of Georgia, said Memorial Day serves a specific purpose for veterans.

“Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for our fallen comrades, the ones that didn’t make it back home,” said Pinckney, who served 20 years in the military. “A lot of people say Memorial Day is a day to have barbecues and have parties or what have you. But for a veteran, that’s not what it’s about.”

Pinckney said the holiday is often confused with Veterans Day.

“People sometimes forget what Memorial Day is, and Memorial Day is for the dead, and Veterans Day is for the living,” he said. “We want to make sure that we honor the people that gave that ultimate sacrifice.”

Casey Zwirtz, acting associate director for VA Augusta, said the event brought together multiple groups to support veterans.

“It’s very important for us as the VA to be able to celebrate Memorial Day and celebrate those that had fought for us and died,” Zwirtz said. “We were here to pay our respects to them and to even to those that are still uniformed and those that have hung them up.”

The VA’s volunteer services collaborated with the American Legion Riders to organize the event. Zwirtz said the ceremony allows veterans to support each other and remember those who have died.

“I think that veterans are excited to be here and be able to support each other and be able to provide comfort and remember those that have fallen and be able to continue their legacy long term,” Zwirtz said.

VA Augusta inpatients, staff, community veterans and American Legion Riders attended the ceremony.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The U.S. Senior Men’s Over-40 National Team is wrapping up its official training camp in the Augusta area this weekend as players prepare to compete in the Seniors World Cup in Thailand.

The team has been training at Lions Memorial Field Stadium in Riverview Park since Thursday and will conclude Sunday.

The camp has included a youth soccer clinic where more than 60 local kids participated in coaching sessions and skill development activities with national team players and staff.

The team also took part in friendly scrimmages against the Augusta UPSL team and the Fort Gordon base team at Lions Memorial Field Stadium.

The roster is made up of Over-40 players from across the country, many with collegiate or professional playing experience, as well as military veterans.

Head Coach David Jones, who resides in Augusta, is the former American Samoa National Team head coach and will be leading the squad into his second Seniors World Cup campaign.

The team will compete in the Seniors World Cup in Thailand from June 1 to June 6.

Throughout the year, the program competes in tournaments nationwide that serve as player identification and recruitment opportunities.