This year's Veterans Day parade in Fayetteville will be a salute to Iraq War veterans.
George Breece, one of the organizers, said the Nov. 10 downtown parade will honor veterans of both Gulf Wars, including Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. He said the parade will have about 125 units, including vehicles and equipment used in the wars, and feature floats for the first time.
"I can't say enough about the support we are getting from out of Fort Bragg," Breece said. "The assets they are going to provide for this parade are just tremendous."
Breece and Kirk deViere, a Fayetteville business owner, are chairmen of the parade committee. They plan to lean on Don Talbot, a Vietnam veteran and former city councilman who headed up the fall parade for many years.
Last November, Mayor Tony Chavonne led the organization for a 10-day event called Heroes Homecoming that celebrated Vietnam veterans and culminated with a parade.
This year's Veterans Day focus is being billed as "Heroes Homecoming II" for those who served in both Iraq invasions, in 1991 and 2003. Fort Bragg played important roles in both wars.
The Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is helping organize other events in the community and on Fort Bragg on Nov. 8-11. Details are still being worked out.
"Our intention is to continue with Heroes Homecoming each Veterans Day," said John Meroski, the bureau's president.
The Cumberland County Veterans Council also organizes the parade each November. Harvey Stewart Sr., is the council's president and the commander of American Legion Post 32.
"I think this is the right time to honor to those soldiers and ladies that have kept the freedom going," Stewart said.
He said it was important to give Iraq War veterans "the homecoming they deserve, and not like the Vietnam veterans."
The parade's grand marshal will be Lt. Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, who last week took command of the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg. Allyn is a veteran of Grenada, Panama and the first Gulf War.
"He is the perfect person to be the grand marshal in the parade," Breece said.
The parade will start at 11 a.m. at the intersection of Bragg Boulevard and Hay Street.
To participate in the parade or for more information, call 920-0045 or send an email to VeteransDayParade@gmail.com
Staff writer Andrew Barksdale can be reached at barksdalea@fayobserver.com or 486-3565.Source: http://fayobserver.com/articles/2012/06/29/1185912
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