Veterans Day ceremonies on tap for Friday

Boy Scouts sponsor flag retirement ceremony

Citizens of Pulaski County are invited to attend an American Flag Retirement Ceremony scheduled for Veterans Day Friday, November 11. The event will be hosted at the large pavilion within Randolph Park beginning at 7:30 PM . Boy Scout Troop 249 from Pulaski will be the host for the event and they will officially retire the flags following all military regulations and traditions. According to Boy Scout project chairperson Damion Ledbetter, it is important that all old and/ or damaged flags are retired with dignity and respect. Flags to be retired may be dropped off at ACE Hardware in Dublin prior to November 10 or by calling Dan Grubb at 540-320- 9224 to coordinate a pickup.

Courthouse War Exhibit Open Veterans Day November 11

The county’s newest military exhibit entitled, “Remembering the Sacrifices for Freedom” will be open to the public on Veterans Day, Friday, November 11, 2022 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. This exhibit is located on the 3rd floor of the Old Pulaski County Historic Stone Courthouse, and features war artifacts and documents of local soldiers, war dioramas for WWII and Vietnam Wars, and many other unique items. Veterans are especially encouraged to come. Also, members of the Pulaski County Courthouses Exhibits Committee will be available to conduct tours for anyone wishing a tour of the military exhibit or a tour of all of the exhibits displayed on all three floors of the courthouse.

Elks Honor Military on the Eleventh Day

In 1918 on the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh month, the guns in France fell silent. The silence signified the beginning of a truce and the end of Wold War One. This November’s national holiday is now known as Veterans Day, a day of honor for all the millions of men and women who have served in the defense of these United States of America. Citizen soldiers have answered the call to protect, defend, and safeguard both American soil and that of our allies. From Concord to today, all have answered the call to duty, serve, defend, and face death for our country. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force are populated by our citizens. What better way to recognize these citizens than to salute and honor them by flying your American Flag proudly on the Veterans Day and every day. Please take a trip down Main Street Pulaski on Friday the 11th.. Stop by the Courthouse to reflect on the monuments’ messages on the front lawn for the missing and the POW’s, stroll further down Main to the Elks Lodge and pay tribute or salute the flags of our veterans past and present. Send up a prayer of hope to the ones who will be tomorrow’s veterans. Trinity Lutheran Church will play both religious and patriotic music at 11 a.m. on its church bell music system in honor of Veterans Day.

Submitted by BPOE #1067 Tyler; Gary Cox

NRCC to hold 2022 Veterans Day Ceremony

New River Community College Veterans Office will host a Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.  The event will be held on the NRCC campus in Dublin in Edwards Hall, Room 117.

The program will include presentation of the colors and retiring of the flags by Pulaski County High School Color Guard. Music will be provided by Pulaski County High School Freshmen Chorus under the direction of Angela Talbert.  Military veterans Dr. Don Stowers, NRCC Veterans Officer; Ryan Adams, NRCC Veterans and Dependents Student Services Advisor; and Dr. Peter Anderson, NRCC Vice President of Instruction and Student Services will represent NRCC during the ceremony.

Local Army veteran Jeff Bain, former school board member, real estate appraiser, and United States Army and Vietnam Veteran will be the featured keynote speaker. Bain attended Ferrum College before being called to serve a three-year tour with the United States Army in Vietnam.  After serving with a helicopter gunship unit during the Vietnam War, he returned home and completed his education at Radford University while working full time in banking, a career he continued for many years.  Bain has served on the Pulaski County School Board, the Pulaski County Industrial Development Authority, and the Pulaski County Planning Commission; he also served as the first chief of the Snowville Fire Department.

The ceremony is free and open to NRCC students, faculty, staff and the public.  A reception with light refreshments will follow the ceremony.

For more information call the NRCC Veterans Office at (540)674-3693 or (540) 674-3600 ext. 4433 or email veterans@nr.edu.