On May 30 at 11 a.m. our community will honor three Clark County service members who died this last year in Iraq and Afghanistan: Army Sgt. Earl Werner, Army Warrant Officer Jonah McClellan, and Marine Sgt. Jason Peto. The ceremony will be held at the Clark County Veterans War Memorial at Vancouver Barracks. The memorial, dedicated in 1998, recognizes more than 575 service members from the community who gave their lives in wars. Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor … and never forget. Freedom is not free; it is paid for with the lives of our country’s very best.
As co-chair along with Dan Tarbell of the newly created nonprofit group, the Community Military Appreciation Committee, we are honored to be the planning organization of the ceremony. Over 30 various organizations are part of CMAC and not all are veteran related. We partner with the 40 et 8 (Voiture 99), Fort Vancouver Trust, and the city of Vancouver. Also involved are guest speakers and over 100 volunteers of other service organizations. Several Gold Star families will also attend.
CMAC would like to extend an invitation to the public to be part of what freedom is about and not forgetting the men and women who gave their lives in time of war.
Larry J. Smith
Vancouver
