Celebrating 21 Million Vets!

This year, Veterans Day will be officially celebrated on Monday, November 11. We’ll tell you about some of the Veterans Day events in the Tacoma area. Elsewhere, look for events like parades and fundraisers in your own neighborhood.

The Mike Licari Memorial: Bowling for Veterans event will be held at the Hi Joy Bowl in Port Orchard November 17 from noon to 4:00 p.m. VFW 2669 Post & Auxiliary sponsors the event. Proceeds go to the Posts efforts to help local veterans and their families. If you bring a nonperishable food item, which will go to the South Kitsap Helpline Foodbank, you’ll get a raffle ticket. There will also be a silent auction. Contact the Post for event tickets.

Friday, November 8 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. enjoy community and camaraderie at The Swiss Restaurant and Pub with the Student Veterans and UW Tacoma.

The Washington State History Museum will present a history of the changing role of women in the US Army followed by an onstage interview with Dr. Margarethe Cammermeyer. She was born in Oslo, Norway, in 1942 came to the US in 1951. She became an Army nurse and married a fellow officer but was forced to leave the military when she became pregnant. She re-upped in the Army Reserves when women could serve with dependents. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Washington and spent twenty-five years in the VA Medical Health Care system as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Practitioner and Researcher in Neuroscience Nursing. She came out as a lesbian in 1989 and was ultimately discharged in 1991. She filed suit, and her discharge was ruled to be unconstitutional. After writing an autobiography, Serving in Silence, which was made into a TV movie, and working for years to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Colonel Cammermeyer led the Pledge of Allegiance when that law was repealed.

Pacific Lutheran University will hold a ceremony with music, singing, and a speaker who is a veteran and will make you laugh. After the ceremony, enjoy refreshments at the fireside reception. The event will be held at the University’s Lagerquist Hall, 12180 Park Avenue S. on November 11 at 10:30 a.m.

Work of Honor will host a special event on November 12 ,with the theme Military Veterans - Driving the Competitive Business Landscape. Three military veterans who are successful in business because they combined civilian and military skills will be interviewed. The topics are: The Art of Winning—Maximizing your Corporate ROI through Veteran Talent; Hidden Potential—Skills, Attributes and Abilities of Veterans You May Not Know; and Building a Veteran Talent Pipeline—Attract, Retain and Motivate. Multicare and the Association of the United States Army will co-sponsor the event. It’s a great way to learn how veterans are using their skills in new ways to serve and succeed. Work of Honor sponsors hiring fairs for veterans and military spouses.

Don’t miss the 54th annual Veteran’s Parade in Auburn on Saturday, November 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year the parade theme is “Celebrating the American Legion Centennial.” The parade will begin at the corner of Lincoln Way and Cleveland Street. Marchers will proceed on Lincoln Way to Central Square where they will pause for a patriotic ceremony to include a flyover (weather permitting), dove release, rifle volley, and taps. The first five hundred veterans to attend will receive a commemorative medal. Veterans who can’t walk the parade route can get rides. After free hot dogs, chips, cookies, and soft drinks at Armory Hall, enjoy a patriotic program, “Proud To Be An American” with music, singing, and exhibitions.

At Eagle Leather, we honor veterans and serving military personnel every day of the year at our store in Lakeville. Just show your military status to the cashier at checkout and you’ll get a discount. or this year.