21-05-2025
Guard Chief: Constitution binds us 'no matter how crazy things may get'
BOSTON (SHNS) – To the tune of the 215th Army Band, families of Massachusetts veterans who lost their lives during or as a result of service gathered Tuesday with state leaders in anticipation of Memorial Day and in recognition of their loved ones' sacrifices.
Massachusetts National Guard Major General Gary Keefe used the occasion to remind Bay Staters to tell the stories of service members and their 'unwavering loyalty' to the country and its Constitution.
'Because of the service members of the families we have here today, our Constitution still exists as a beacon of hope for everything. No matter what's going on down in D.C., the Constitution is what will always bind us together, not just as Americans, but as humans,' Keefe said Tuesday in Memorial Hall.
'No matter how crazy things may get when you're watching whatever news stations you watch, the rest of the world understands that when push comes to shove, bad things happen, and partners and allies need help, we are the first to ring the bell, answer the bell, and we are the first to make sure that our values are based on our Constitution,' Keefe continued.
Keefe's comments come as several Massachusetts leaders have suggested the country has approached, or might reach, a Constitutional crisis — the result of questions as to whether the Trump administration will uphold the Constitution.
'Regardless if you wear a uniform or not, regardless of where you come from, what your background is, what your religion is, what color you are, what sexual preference, it does not matter,' Keefe said. 'We bind together as Americans, and we protect that Constitution.'
Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, alongside Keefe, Secretary of Veterans Services Jon Santiago and First Lady Joanna Lydgate, presented medals to next of kin of service men and women from Massachusetts.
Healey and Driscoll presented three Massachusetts Medals of Liberty to next of kin of those killed in action or in the line of duty, or who died as a result of wounds received in action. The pair presented six Massachusetts Medals of Fidelity to next of kin of those who died as the result of service-related PTSD, a traumatic brain injury or related conditions or injuries.
The medals are a physical manifestation of service, Santiago said, but also a way to remind veterans and their families of state support.
'As long as we're here, we always have your back. We honor your sacrifice,' Santiago said.
The legacies of those who have given their lives to service are represented in the individual stories of each veteran, and in the conversations had with service families, Santiago said. Those conversations help inform the state's legislation and services, he added.
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