Brigadier Gen. (ret.) Ron Welch, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs shakes hands with an enlistee during the "Our Community Salutes" event hosted by the Connecticut National Guard at the Gov. William A. O'Neill Armory in Hartford, Connecticut May 18, 2024. Our Community Salutes is a national, non-profit organization that helps communities recognize, honor, and support high school seniors who plan to enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces following graduation.