The Montpelier Veterans Council recently met to complete plans for the largest Montpelier Memorial Day Service in some time, to be held on Monday, May 26. The program will start with a parade forming at 9:30am at the Main Street roundabout, and stepping off at 10am. All veterans are invited to join in the parade to show your respect of deceased veterans of all wars. The parade will proceed to the war memorial at Montpelier High School for ceremonies.
The Barre Tones will present the Star Spangled Banner, Rev. Michael Augustinowich, pastor of St. Augustine Catholic Church, will do the invocation, and wreaths will be placed at the war memorial by Montpelier Mayor John Hollar, military and fraternal organizations, other organizations and individuals.
The guest speaker for the event will be Lt. Col. Gregory Knight, Deputy Commander/AO of the 124th Regiment (Regional Training Institute) U.S. Army. Lt. Col. Knight graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, and has received many decorations and awards during his military career. With over 30 years of uniformed service (14 years enlisted and 17 years commissioned service), Lt. Col. Knight’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Armor Association Order of St. George, German Armed Proficiency Badge, among many others.
Lt. Col. Knight lives in Huntington with his wife, Tracy, and their four children, Jason, Griffin, Colby and Cooper.
There is frequent confusion between Memorial Day (formerly referred to as Armistice Day or Decoration Day) and the companion holiday, Veterans Day. The intent of Memorial Day has always been to honor those who have died in American military service, while November 11, Veterans Day, is for those who have served the U.S. in war and survived. Armistice Day refers to the agreement that brought an end to World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.
All are invited and encouraged to attend this solemn ceremony to honor and pay respect to all of our military deceased veterans of all wars of all time – these are our heroes. These men and women gave us our freedom.
Following this ceremony there will be an open house, with lunch, at the American Legion Post 3 and the VFW Post 792, both in Montpelier.