‘Sound of freedom’: Veterans Day celebrated with parade in Las Vegas

“Ladies and gentlemen, that is the sound of freedom,” said radio host Alan Stock from a stage at the intersection of Fourth Street and Ogden Avenue. Stock emceed Monday’s Veterans Day parade, organized by the nonprofit Veterans Action Group.

Hailed as the “largest Veterans Day parade west of the Mississippi,” veterans and supporters lined the streets of downtown Las Vegas, with a flyover by the U.S. Army National Guard.

“Today is about the living,” Dixon Keller, a volunteer with Veterans Action Group, said Monday morning. “Today is about celebrating active duty. It’s all about celebrating our veterans.”

The parade continued until around midday, with veterans groups, active duty and reserve units, members of the Nevada National Guard and more starting their route at Fourth Street and Garces Avenue, ending at Fourth Street and Stewart Avenue.

The parade has been a yearly event in Las Vegas since 1994, with the exception of 2020 because of the pandemic.

“If somebody says ‘thank you for your service,’ I tell them, ‘you’re worth it,’” said Keller, a Vietnam veteran.

Generational continuity

“See these kids along these sidelines?” Keller asked as families gathered along the parade route. “They’re here because they’re going to learn about veterans, Veterans Day, our country.”

This young turnout is important, Keller said, because Veterans Day is largely about the idea of generational continuity. This idea was coined by William “Billy” Stojak, the founding president of the Veterans Action Group, according to Stock, in hopes that young people continue to learn about veterans and why they are recognized on Nov. 11.

Keller recalled meeting a 25-year-old woman he said had been attending the Veterans Day parade since she was 5 years old. “She loved coming,” he said. “We serve a greater purpose: not just celebrating our veterans, but education.”

Felipe Sharp, an Army veteran, attended the parade with his wife, Zelany Sharp, and their four sons.

“My wife and I definitely want the boys to know respect for country, respect for troops,” Felipe Sharp said.

“We just love seeing past generations and future generations of those who have served and those who will serve,” he added. “I don’t think you can truly have pride in country unless you see your parents have pride in country. So that’s essentially what we’re doing here.”

Several Reserve Officers’ Training Corps marched in Monday’s parade, hailing from local high schools. UNLV’s ROTC members also marched.

More than 140 parade entries

Spectators at Monday’s parade saw some familiar faces travelling its route and speaking on stage.

As the parade’s kickoff neared, Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft officially proclaimed the day Veterans Action Group Day in Clark County.

Naft shared his thanks for the “extraordinary veterans and their families who served us so incredibly bravely.”

From the backseat of a green Chevrolet convertible, Mayor Carolyn Goodman and her husband, former Mayor Oscar Goodman, waved to the cheering crowd.

Mayor-elect Shelley Berkley also waved to spectators from the back of a car later on in the parade lineup. Her arrival at Fourth Street and Ogden Avenue, nearing the end of the parade route, was met with several boos among cheers.

“Mayor-elect Berkley has been a steadfast advocate for veterans,” Stock said.

‘We do need the representation’

As the parade wound down, Navy veteran Daisy Jaimez, Army veteran Stephanie Paine and Air Force veteran Angela Miranda said they felt honored to have marched in the parade.

The women were met with cheers, chanting “we are your local vets.” This visibility is important, Jaimez said.

“We’re females, and we do need the representation, especially in Las Vegas,” Jaimez said. “We’re here for the women veterans, who get forgotten very easily.” Miranda said that the camaraderie between the women was also important.

“We know when things get difficult, to have each other is the best support,” Paine said, adding that she felt “lots of pride” looking at people cheering them on from the sidelines.

Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @estellelilym on X and @estelleatkinsonreports on Instagram.