LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Sergeant Major JP Karpovich has proudly served in the National Guard for more than 15 years and helped shape the Wyoming Valley Veterans Day Parade for most of that time. This year, he's witnessing something he's never seen before.

For the first time in the parade's 80-year history, no active-duty military members will march - a direct result of the ongoing federal government shutdown.

"We weren't going to let a little thing like, you know, the current situation stop us from having a parade that recognizes our veterans because that's what it's about, showing support for veterans in the community," says Karpovich.

That minor setback is now a significant change, as hundreds of active-duty service members, who typically fill the streets of Kingston and Wilkes-Barre,

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