The city of Santa Monica and the U.S. Army will hold a Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, in Beach Parking Lot 4, between Santa Monica Beach and Crescent Bay Park.
The ceremony runs until noon and will be followed by music and entertainment until 1 p.m. Now in its seventh year, the event began as a private gathering at the Santa Monica Veterans Memorial in 2020. It has grown into a major community celebration for veterans, service members, military families and neighbors.
Councilmember and Army veteran Dan Hall will give welcome and closing remarks. Speakers include:
Mayor Caroline Torosis
Maj. Gen. Dianne Del Rosso, deputy chief of Army Reserve
Medal of Honor recipient Gary Littrell
Gen. Ronald P. Clark, commanding general, U.S. Army, who will give the keynote
Maj. Gen. Shane Buzza, commanding general of the 63rd Readiness Division, will lead a swearing-in ceremony for future soldiers.
The U.S. Army Los Angeles Recruiting Battalion will post the colors, and Coulson Aviation will conduct a Chinook/C-130 flyover. Rora Wilde will sing the national anthem, and Miss USO Heidi-Marie Ferren will perform “God Bless the USA.” The 300th Army Band will perform “God Bless America” and play the Service Medley after the retiring of the colors. Rora Wilde and iHeartRadio will provide music and entertainment.
Veterans and active military members will receive free ride tickets courtesy of Pacific Park. Meals on Wheels will provide free meals and information on meal resources.
“As America celebrates its 250th birthday, we are reminded that the freedoms we enjoy today were earned and preserved through the courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment of generations of American service members and veterans,” said event organizer Sonki Hong, a former civilian aide to the secretary of the Army.
Edited by SMDP Staff