March 29 is National Vietnam Veterans Day. A community ceremony is being planned to honor all Vietnam veterans in the county, and officially present Honor Certificates and federal Department of Defense lapel pins to those Vietnam veterans who have not yet received them.
Veterans who served during the years of November 1, 1995 through May 15, 1975 are eligible to receive these awards, regardless of whether they served in country or at military posts throughout the world. Over nine million US military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam era. There are possibly still several hundred veterans in Chattooga County who have not been officially thanked and honored with these awards.
Vietnam veterans who have not received their awards are encouraged to call Kim Snow at the Cooperative Extension office to provide their name, branch of service, years served, rank, phone number, and address. The phone number is 706-857-0744. Please provide this information by Monday, March 13 to allow the Veterans Department to print the Honor Certificates
The Honor program is a partnership between the US Department of Defense and the state of Georgia in an effort to recognize and welcome home all who served. The awards will be officially presented by Patricia Ross, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Veterans Service and Major General Thomas Carden, Adjutant General for the Georgia Department of Defense.
Veterans family, friends, and all community members are invited to attend the Honor Ceremony on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 12 noon. The place will be announced later. Light refreshments will be served after the program. For more information, please call Odell Anderson (706-397-2394) or Barbara Reece (706-862-2657)
