Inducted into Schmitt’s Veterans Hall of Fame
By Ken Cashman & Mary Jane Pitt
Chris Meyer often hears from Jim Gagliano. So when the Cornwall-on-Hudson mayor called him, Mr. Meyer wasn’t surprised. He assumed there was something that someone needed him to do. And his assumption was almost accurate. The mayor was asking him to be at the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center on Feb. 27 to be inducted into the 99th Assembly District Veterans Hall of Fame.
Not long ago, Assemblyman Colin Schmitt asked local leaders to nominate one veteran from their community “who has bravely served the country and has continued a legacy of service in the community after his or her tour of duty.” Mayor Gagliano and Cornwall Supervisor Josh Wojehowski both selected Mr. Meyer.
The honoree’s response was typical. “Couldn’t you find someone more worthy,” he quipped.
If the name Chris Meyer (or Christopher Paul Meyer) sounds familiar it’s because of his involvement with the VetRep Theater. He hosted a performance in the fall and recently purchased the Chadeayne Homestead for presentations in the future. His ambition is to provide a venue for works by or about veterans.
He was directing an Off Broadway Show in 2001 when the planes struck the World Trade Center. Mr. Meyer enlisted and spent 14 years with a Special Operations Group. He had a unique position in the military, but he cut short his career to start the VetRep Theater. His goal was “to elevate the veterans from the Jihad Era.”
He still gets calls encouraging him to re-enlist. And he admits that the calls are tempting. But he is also drawn by his civilian project. “Anything I can do to reflect glory on them and pump them up is what I want to do,” he told me. And by “them,” I assumed he meant the people he served with in the recent past.
Despite his somewhat humorous response to the mayor’s phone call, Mr. Meyer was pleased with his selection. “It’s great that someone is doing this,” he said, “and it’s a great honor – even if it’s a little embarrassing. I’m grateful for any platform to shine light back on these guys.”
Mr. Meyer and his wife Jane have a son, Grayson.
Ceremony attended by many
When Assemblyman Schmitt hosted the ceremony on Sunday evening it was in front of a nearly full house. The ceremony honored a dozen local residents from towns and villages across the 99th Assembly District who “faithfully served our nation in the military and who are heroes in our communities”.
Plaques honoring each of the new inductees have been added to Schmitt’s Traveling Wall of Honor. The wall, constructed by Carpenters Local 279, travels across the 99th Assembly District year-round, reaching all corners of the district for community members to see.
Schmitt noted that it is “incredibly important to honor and recognize the military veteran heroes of our community that selflessly served our nation and have sacrificed so much for our freedoms.”
He said the purpose of the Wall of Honor is to let other Orange County residents “know who your neighbors are, and the extraordinary contributions they have made.”
Schmitt made a plea for any organization or government in the county to reach out to him if they have the space to host the wall, so that more people can see it.
The ceremony kicked off with an Orange County Sheriff’s Department color guard, and the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Cornwall’s Girl Scout Troop 76. The National Anthem was sung by Emma Flynn, and Woodbury Councilmember Kate Luciani, from the Woodbury Town Council, gave the invocation. From Schmiit’s office, Schmitt’s Deputy District Director Nicole Curley acted as mistress of ceremony, welcoming those in attendance and reading biographies of all the honorees.
Curley said she knew that asking local leaders to submit nominees was a difficult task for them “because there are so many deserving men and women of all branches who need to be saluted and applauded”. All honored also received a 99th Assembly District challenge coin.
The last honoree was the collective NAM Knights, a national charitable organization which has 42 local members. The group members spent their time supporting veteran and police organizations and individuals. Chapter President Robert Caridi accepted the honor on behalf of the group.
