Submitted by the Memorial Day Parade Committee

Active duty service is often the most recognized form of military service.

Often we overlook that our service does not end with the end of an enlistment.

Many veterans continue serving our communities and country after fulfilling their enlistment obligation.

The continued service is very often on a volunteer or unpaid basis such as a membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars or American Legion.

These are two of the known military local organizations out of a large number of charities and support groups.

All of the organizations provide much needed emotional, financial, medical and living support for our local veterans and active duty military personnel and their families. 

Non-servicemembers in our community benefit from youth and adult education programs and the continuation of community patriotic pride. 

Between the American Legion and the VFW posts, nationally there were approximately 3,200,000 members in 2018. 

All of these members represent a level of service after service, the theme of this year’s Memorial Day commemoration.

Following the Vietnam war a respectful and appropriate saying, which reflects the feelings of many returning military personnel, was accepted and adopted by many: All gave some; some gave all.

In recognizing service after service: some are still giving to all.

Memorial Day parade is at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 30

The village of Baldwinsville is one of the few communities that celebrates Memorial Day on May 30 instead of the “observed” Monday. This year’s parade takes place at
6 p.m. Thursday, May 30.

• All parade participants should be in line on Lock Street by 5 p.m. Please enter Lock Street from Salina Street via Wood Street only. Parade staff will be located along Lock Street to direct you to your place in the line of march. They will have a program listing to help. The parade will start off at approximately 5:40 p.m.

• A brief service will be held at the Veterans Monument in front of the U. S. Post Office on East Genesee Street at 5:45 p.m. Then the parade will continue to the Four Corners and travel south onto Oswego Street (Route 48).

• The parade briefly stops on the bridge for a ceremony honoring those servicemembers lost at sea. It will then continue down Route 48 (Oswego Street becomes Syracuse Street) to take a right turn onto Tappan Street.

• The traditional memorial services continue at Riverview Cemetery at 6:30 p.m.

For more information, contact the Memorial Day Parade Committee at [email protected].

Meet ‘Mac’ McCarthy, grand marshal

In the spirit of commemorating, “Service after Service,” the Baldwinsville Memorial Day Parade Committee has named Michael “Mac” McCarthy as grand marshal for the 2019 Memorial Day parade.

In honoring the tradition of his military family dating back to the Civil War, Mac enlisted in the Army in 1986, shortly after graduating from Oneida High School. He completed his basic and advanced training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Upon completion, he was assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) at the Pentagon. In 1987, after being selected as the Enlisted Member of the Quarter and then the Year, Mac was introduced to the DIA’s director Air Force 3 Star Lt. General Leonard Perroots. Following that introduction, Lt. General Perroots offered him a position on the directors staff where he served until his discharge in 1989.

Upon returning to Central New York, Mac accepted a security position for Niagara Mohawk at Nine Mile Nuclear Power Plant. In 1992, when the position ended, he went to work for the Town of Clay Police Department where he remained for 17 years. Currently, Mac is employed as Director of Security for the Liverpool School District. He also serves the appointed position of town constable for the town of Clay and works part time for the Central Square and Phoenix police departments as a firearms instructor and trainer. Most recently, Mac was named 2018 president of the State of New York Police Juvenile Officers Association.

In addition to his ongoing service and dedication to the safety of our schools and community, in his free time Mac volunteers at several local veterans organizations. Given his witty, quick sense of humor, he is recruited to MC events at both the Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts in Baldwinsville and Phoenix as well as the Baldwinsville American Legion, where he is a member of the Sons of the American Legion. Mac feels strongly about this service to veterans; noting that he feels honored to give back and be welcomed in these organizations because of the great veterans who work tirelessly for veterans’ causes.

Mac lives locally and has a 21-year-old son, Brandon, who is a senior at Cazenovia College.

Meet Master Sgt. Jay Taylor, president of the day

The Baldwinsville Memorial Day Parade Committee is honored to name retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant Jay Taylor as the president of the day for the 2019 Memorial Day Parade.

Jay graduated from Knox Memorial High School in Russell, New York, in 1965. He joined the Army in October 1965, where he served with the Army Special Operations Division in Vietnam and Taiwan. He returned to Central New York where he earned an associate’s degree from Onondaga Community College and in 1979 a bachelor of science in business administration with a minor in economics from Le Moyne College.

In 1983, Jay went into the Army Reserves, Special Operations Division, where he was assigned to the 403rd Civil Affairs Unit from 1987 to 1991. In 1990, he was deployed, serving in Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield while attached to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) and was responsible for unit movement. During that time period he earned six Military Specialities (MOS).

In 1993, Jay transferred to the Army 98th Division where he became the course instructor for MOS. In 2001, he was promoted to course manager which included a promotion in rank to master sergeant (MSG). After 2001, he was the non-commissioned officer in charge (NCOIC) of G1 at the 98th Division Headquarters.

Master Sergeant Taylor has been awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Military Service Medal, the Presidential Citation Medal and was in the first unit to receive the Navy Unit Commendation Medal. He retired in 2004 after 24 years of service to his country.

Since his retirement, Jay has been a member of the VFW and actively involved in service to his community and veterans. He has served as an officer at the Baldwinsville VFW Post 153, recently being named Commander. For the last 10 years, he has volunteered at the VA Hospital as an ambassador who provides help and guidance to veterans and their families.

Jay retired from Verizon after 33 years as a network engineering manager. He lives locally with his wife, Peggy. Together they have four daughters: Jessica (Mark), Jacqueline (A.J.), Kelly (Brad) and Amanda (Chris); one son, William (Laura); and six grandchildren, Natty, Sully, Robbie, Kennedy, Thomas and Tyler, and one on the way.