High school drill teams and marching bands alight outside San Francisco City Hall at the end of the 93rd annual Veterans Day Parade. Photos by Luke Thomas.
By Luke Thomas
November 12, 2012
Senator Mark Leno, Mayor Ed Lee and Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi were the only elected officials to honor US veterans Sunday during San Francisco’s 93rd annual Veterans Day Parade.
This year’s parade featured a salute to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
The parade, which began under clear blue skies at Market and 2nd streets and terminated at Civic Center, was well-attended by members of the public who lined the streets while waving Old Glories in appreciation of the sacrifice and service of active US military services personnel and veterans.
Sheriff Mirkarimi, a US Navy reserves veteran, and recently promoted Sheriff’s Captain Kathy Gorwood led the parade, shaking hands with members of the public and thanking them for honoring veterans. They were followed by the Sheriff’s Department Mounted Unit.
“I had them deployed for the first time ever in the Veterans Day Parade,” Mirkarimi said, referring to the Mounted Unit.
Mirkarimi and his command staff joined a network of service providers Friday to honor veterans in custody at San Bruno Jail and to highlight efforts to reduce violence and recidivism rates.
COVER (Community of Veterans Engaged in Restoration) is a program first instituted in 2010 under the leadership of former Sheriff Michael Hennessey. The program provides vet-specific services to incarcerated veterans. Many veterans who run afoul of the law are often suffering with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a severe anxiety disorder that can develop following exposure to the horrors of war.
“We’re challenged by two distinct populations of veterans: the older incarcerated veterans, who require a specialized level of care that they didn’t get years ago, and the veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan whose health-and-welfare needs are unique from those of their predecessors,” Mirkrarimi said in a press statement. “COVER can claim many success stories of veterans who reenter society, never to violate the law again; however, as we see a growing number of veterans finding themselves in the criminal justice system, we will be ill-equipped to address their myriad needs, in particular, those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.”
At the end of the parade, the public was treated to performances from high-school drill teams and marching bands.
Photos (click to enlarge):
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- Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps flag holders alight outside City Hall.
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- Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, a seven-year US Navy reserves veteran, thanked members of the public for honoring veterans.
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- Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi and Sheriff’s Captain Kathy Gorwood.
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- The San Francisco Sheriff’s Department Mounted Unit participated in the parade. It was the first time the Mounted Unit was deployed in a Veterans Day Parade.
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- Active US armed services personnel participated in the parade.
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- Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White, Mayor Ed Lee and Police Chief Greg Suhr.
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- Mayor Ed Lee and members of the fire and police services posed for a photo outside City Hall.
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- California Senator Mark Leno.
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- Sheriff Mirkarimi thanked veterans for their service to country.
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- The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe honored veterans with a tribal dance.
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- Sheriff Mirkarimi with members of Veterans for Peace.
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- High-ranking veteran officers salute parade participants at Civic Center.
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- The Boy Scouts of America marching band perform outside City Hall.
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- A parade contingent fired muskets along the route while carrying the English St. George’s Cross Flag.
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- High school drill teams and marching bands alight outside City Hall.
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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November 16, 2012 at 6:54 pm
The Chron now seems to be publishing attacks on Ross every day, sometimes twice a day. Usually no byline. Voice of the paper. The usual gang of haters show up to spew in the comments section.
November 17, 2012 at 10:01 am
it is sad.
November 16, 2012 at 11:11 am
Note,
Neither Ross nor his deputies were invited into the ‘official family picture’ with Lee and the cops and firefighters.
h.
November 17, 2012 at 10:00 am
because he’s a witch!
November 13, 2012 at 9:15 pm
Nice to see the Sheriff finally wearing the Sheriff’s uniform. And to read about the special efforts made to counsel veterans at the San Bruno County Jail.
November 13, 2012 at 8:59 am
but, inquiring minds want to know: did the 2 (mirkarimi and lee) actually meet and greet?
anyway, good for mirkarimi for articulating veterans’ needs, and hopefully, the funds will be made available now that the wealthiest among us are starting to get taxed.
November 15, 2012 at 10:39 pm
maybe the last sentence here answered my question?
https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2012-11-20/sheriff-ross-mirkarimi-next-steps
November 12, 2012 at 1:41 pm
Thanks for covering this event.