Bay Pines Veterans Day largest ceremony in the region

One of the region’s largest Veterans Day ceremonies was held in St. Petersburg at the Bay Pines V.A. Medical Center.

The V.A. put together an elaborate ceremony as a way of saying 'thank you' to the men and women who serve - and their families.

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Mike DeLancey was the keynote speaker. DeLancey is a Purple Heart recipient who has completed tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.

DeLancey talked about the importance of supporting veterans beyond Veterans Day.

Jim Scarborough is also a Purple Heart Recipient who says seeing Monday’s support - compared to when he returned home from the Vietnam War - means a lot.

“I have…come to realize how important healing is, the sense of closure,” Scarborough said.

Bay Pines operates one of the largest V.A. healthcare systems in the country, in terms of patients served.