Oxnard—It was a Red, White, and Blue, All-American Salute to Veterans at Plaza Park, Tuesday, November 11, as Oxnard’s Salute to Veterans marked a star-spangled celebration.
THE event was pure American, as Ben Morrel Battalion’s U.S. Sea Cadet Corps presented the colors, followed by an invocation by Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System VA Chaplain Father Frederick Byaruhanga, the Santino Preciado Boy Scout Troop led the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Channel Islands High School Raiders Band provided the music.
Oxnard Police Department Commander Miguel Serrato served in the United States Marine Corps from 1995 to 1999 and was honored to be a guest speaker.
“I was in an infantry unit, the Third Battalion Marines is an infantry unit, and I was a machine gunn er and did two tours,” he said. “One through Okinawa, Japan, and for the other one, we were in a shop and part of the operation and the first Marines to enter Kosovo on a June 10, 1999, secret mission.”
Serrato said coming home was easier for him because he enlisted at age 17 and got out at age 21.
“I did my four years and came out because I wanted to join the law…
