Military and Veterans Affairs Office executive officer Ruth Coleman cannot tell how many of these veterans will be on island, but she expects some of them arriving soon from the U.S. to join five local veterans on Veterans Day.
Coleman said the veterans will be awarded with medals by Gov. Benigno Fitial, first lady Josie Fitial and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3457 Commander Mariano G. Fajardo.
The keynote speaker will be Major Gen. Stephen D. Tom, chief of staff for U.S. Pacific Command based in Hawaii.
“We will give thanks to those who have served freedom’s cause: we salute the members of our armed forces who are confronting our adversaries abroad; and we honor the men and women who left America’s shores but did not live to be thanked as veterans. Our country will always remember them,” Coleman said.
Members of Saipan Southern High School’s JROTC will be posting and retiring the colors while Pacific Winds Concert Band Bugler will play taps during the ceremony.
