Spokane native Jeff Kusterer, 64, stood on a sidewalk Saturday in Auburn, taking in the sights and sounds of the region’s biggest Veterans Day parade.

The graying soldier came to be honored and to do honor in turn.

The grand, two-hour-long parade down Main Street is the second largest of its kind west of the Mississippi River, featuring scores of Veterans groups – from the Inter-Tribal Warrior Society to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, from 12 veterans aboard a float honoring the U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II — “Pride Runs Deep” to the American Legion, from the Veterans of Foreign Wars to the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and many more.

Several Renton veterans marched in the Auburn parade, including a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Skyway Post No. 9430.

To wild cheering and applause, active service members from the Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard stepped smartly alongside bands tootling patriotic melodies, a rolling display of military equipment and scores of elected officials, among them recently re-elected Gov. Christine Gregoire, and U.S. Congressman Dave Reichert.

Kusterer, who joined the Army Reserves after his active duty ended in 1970, served in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait during Desert Storm and retired in 1994 as a first sergeant.

He explained what the parade means to him.

“I get an opportunity to see other members of our community that served and gave up part of their regular life to support our country,” Kusterer said.

VFW presentation

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Skyway Post No. 9430 is giving a Veteran’s Day presentation during its Thursday hamburger night. The presentation will begin shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday at the post, at 7421 S. 126th St. in Seattle. For more information, call 206-772-9982.