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Kingston Township lowers earned income tax

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<p>PLAINS TWP. &#8212; John Walter was waiting for the elevator inside the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center following the Veterans Day ceremony held just outside the lobby door on a sunny, but chilly Thursday morning.</p><p>Walter, 58 of Peckville, is a patient at the VAMC, and he served in the U.S. Marines from 1975 to 1987. Walter said he was pleased to attend the ceremony.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s an honor to have served my country,&#8221; Walter said. &#8220;And ceremonies like this assure that we always remember where we came from.&#8221;</p><p>Walter said he &#8220;is very proud&#8221; to have served in the military.</p><p>&#8220;It has given me a sense of integrity,&#8221; he said.</p><p>The Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center held its annual Veterans Day Ceremony Thursday to honor all those who have served in the Armed Forces. The keynote speaker was Lackawanna County Judge Thomas Munley, with veterans from various eras represented in the crowd.</p><p>Walter said he feels the U.S. should always have a strong military to defend against threats like ISIS, North Korea and Iran. He said when he and his fellow veterans get together, they talk about their time in the service.</p><p>&#8220;And we talk about our families,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And we also talk a lot about politics. Even though we aren&#8217;t still serving in the military, we still care deeply about our country and protecting its people.&#8221;</p><p>Walter said he has noticed a rise in respect for veterans.</p><p>&#8220;I like to think there has been a patriotic movement,&#8221; Walter said. &#8220;That&#8217;s why these ceremonies like the one today are so important.&#8221;</p><p>Retired Colo. David Brown spent 39 years in the U.S. Army, having been deployed twice. He said Veterans Day is a time that Americans pay their respects to all veterans.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a way of thanking veterans for protecting our country and supporting the Constitution of the United States,&#8221; he said. &#8220;All these veterans, they&#8217;re the real heroes. They paved the way for all of to live in freedom.&#8221;</p><p>Munley served as an infantry soldier in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Army Commendation Medal and the &#8220;Chapel of the Four Chaplains&#8221; Award.</p><p>Russell E Lloyd, Medical Center Director at the facility, said it was an honor to celebrate &#8220;the courage, selfless service and sacrifices&#8221; of America&#8217;s veterans.</p><p>&#8220;We honor all of them for their service &#8212; in peace and in war,&#8221; Lloyd said. &#8220;It is our privilege to honor those serving, and those who served.&#8221;</p><p>Lloyd said with the continued support of the president, Congress and partners in the veterans service organizations and local communities, &#8220;we&#8217;ll continue to care for veterans long into the future.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Fred Baker salutes the flag during the National Anthem at the Veterans Medical Center Veterans Day ceremony Thursday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_TTL111116VAvets1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Fred Baker salutes the flag during the National Anthem at the Veterans Medical Center Veterans Day ceremony Thursday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_TTL111116VAvets2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A veteran holds a poppy and listens to Lackawanna County Judge Thomas Munley during his keynote speech at the VA Medical Center Veterans Day program Thursday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_TTL111116VAvets2.jpg</photo1><caption1>A veteran holds a poppy and listens to Lackawanna County Judge Thomas Munley during his keynote speech at the VA Medical Center Veterans Day program Thursday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_TTL111116VAvets3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Employee veterans of the VA Medical Center prestent the colors during a Veterans Day ceremony on Thursday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_TTL111116VAvets3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Employee veterans of the VA Medical Center prestent the colors during a Veterans Day ceremony on Thursday. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

VA Medical Center ceremony honors all veterans