Glen Cove Elementary School students recognized Memorial Day this week with a special visit from Mayor Ralph Suozzi and local veterans.
On Wednesday, the mayor and Tony Jimenez, a city councilman who served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, spoke with Connolly Elementary school students about honoring veterans, not just on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, but every day.
Suozzi told the students that during Vietnam, Jimenez was in a hot jungle, didn't see his family and was thousands of miles from home. "Some of his buddies didn't come home," having died in battle, Suozzi noted.
Jimenez, who during his service had received a Purple Heart after he was injured by a hand grenade, said he had been able to join his unit again.
Jimenez currently serves as the Nassau County deputy commissioner of jurors, and previously was a court officer and operating room nurse.
By serving in the military, he said, he received an education and respect for the nation, and fought to preserve freedom.
Asked by students about his experience, Jimenez, a member of the Glen Cove American Legion Post said, "I can't say I liked war, but I had a good experience in the military," adding that he learned a lot from it.
The two visitors were introduced by Alex Suozzi, a fifth grader at Connolly whose father is the city's mayor. The visit was especially meaningful to Jimenez, who said his daughter had attended the school.
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