Memorial Day Ceremony at Santa Barbara Cemetery Honors Fallen Service Members

Colonel Robert Long of Vandenberg Space Force Base, left, greets retired U.S. Navy Lt. John Blankenship at Monday's Memorial Day ceremony at the Santa Barbara Cemetery. (Giana Magnoli / Noozhawk photo)

Col. Robert Long: Those who died in service to their country ‘would want us to make a positive and memorable day out of today’

Leaders from Vandenberg Space Force Base and the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Blackfin spoke about honoring the sacrifice of military service members during Monday’s Memorial Day ceremony at the Santa Barbara Cemetery.

Retired Lt. John Blankenship welcomed the crowd and introduced speakers and performance groups throughout the event, including the Gold Coast Pipe Band, the Santa Barbara Choral Society, and the Prime Time Band.

Col. Robert Long, commander of Space Launch Delta 30 and the Western Launch and Test Range at Vandenberg, thanked the crowd for attending, and said he was a “firm believer that those who cannot be here would not want us to remain sorrowful.”

He added, “They would want us to make a positive and memorable day out of today, for their sacrifice ensures we have the freedom to do so.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY GINA MAGNOLI, NOOZHAWK MANAGING EDITOR