Flagler County honors veterans with parade and ceremony

FCSO Chief of Staff Mark Strobridge received Flagler County's Veteran of the Year Award. Guest speaker Dave Freeman spoke about veterans' ongoing battles after they return home.

  • Palm Coast Observer
  • News
  • Share

Adults and children bundled up on an unseasonably cold day and grabbed their spots along State Road 100 in Bunnell, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, waiting for the start of Flagler County's Veterans Day Parade. 

The bands and JROTC cadets from Flagler Palm Coast and Matanzas high schools marched. Veterans riding in Corvettes waved to the crowds. Schools, service organizations and first responders participated in the parade, which terminated near the Government Services Building. The county followed the parade with its Veterans Day ceremony featuring keynote speaker and parade grand marshal, Dave Freeman, and 2025 Flagler County Veteran of the Year Mark Strobridge.

Strobridge received the Col. Gary E. DeKay Veteran of the Year Award. Flagler County Veterans Services Officer David Lydon said the award was named in honor of DeKay, “who served this country and community for over 46 years and did so much for the veterans and citizens of Flagler County.”

DeKay was instrumental in the establishment of Flagler County’s Veterans Appreciation Day and the Flagler County Veteran of the Year Award, Lydon said.

Strobridge, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office chief of staff, served in the U.S. Marine Corps and then served in other capacities in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for 30 years.

“In 2009, after retiring as a Sheriff's Office legend, he was chosen to lead a groundbreaking non-profit organization in Orlando focused on improving information sharing among law enforcement agencies, a role he excelled in until 2017,” Lydon said.

Strobridge is a deacon in his church, the treasurer for Teens in Flight, and a member of many community organizations. He stepped in to serve as Palm Coast’s interim assistant city manager during a time of transition and was awarded the Certificate of Excellence for his service.

Strobridge said he was humbled to be named Veteran of the Year but said the award is not about him.

"This award is really a composite of all the people who serve in these kind of capacities daily,” he said, listing the many city and county officials and first responders who went into service after first serving their country in the military.

Congressman Randy Fine attended the ceremony and spoke about the uniqueness of Veterans Day, which is not like many other holidays that are always on Monday to give people a three-day weekend.

“It's on the 11th of November, because that is when World War I ended, which they thought would be the war to end all wars,” Fine said.

Fine said we not only should honor our veterans but also their families, who sit at home waiting for their loved ones to return.

“We honor the veterans not only by taking care of them, but remembering what it is that they fought for, the first country in the history of the world that said that our rights did not come from government, that they came from God,” Fine said.

Freeman, who is Flagler Schools' chief of operations, is a retired lieutenant colonel in the Army. He served form 1983 to 2004 and then returned to active duty from 2006 to 2008 to support operations in Iraq.

He spoke about his recent 2,200-mile thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail through Warrior Expeditions, a non-profit for veterans.

“The transition from military to civilian life is not a simple step,” Freeman said. “It's a profound journey filled with immense challenge in the quiet weight of new burdens which often requires the same kind of fortitude that was needed on the battlefield.”

The journey on the hike is not just physical but spiritual and mental as well, he said. 

“The trail provides something crucial that many veterans need. It provides a new mission,” he said. “Each white blaze is a victory, every summit is a triumph. Along the way they find a new kind of unit, the community of a ‘tramily,’ or a trail family, and the support of trail angels.”

When a veteran reaches the end of the trail, they have proven to themselves that they have the strength to keep going. They find a new peace, he said.

“This experience, my story, is a powerful reminder for us today,” Freeman said. “Veterans Day is not just about thanking our veterans for their past service. It's also about recognizing their ongoing journey. It is about understanding that the battles don't always end when they come home. It is about showing up for them, not just on November the 11th, but every single day.”

 

Latest News

  • December 13, 2025
A mark of honor: Ormond Beach DAR chapter holds annual Wreaths Across America ceremony
  • December 12, 2025
Flagler detective suspended without pay for 'unbecoming conduct' following Dec. 4 arrest
  • December 12, 2025
Ormond Beach Planning Board OKs new commerce park development on North U.S. 1
  • December 11, 2025
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office implements AI language translation technology for body cameras
×

Your free article limit has been reached this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited digital access to our award-winning local news.