RIPON - Ripon’s third annual Veterans Day Ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 12, at Veterans Memorial Park, corner of Locust Avenue and So. First Street, one block south of the city’s Main Street downtown area.

Veterans Day this year falls officially on Sunday, Nov. 11. The Joint Committee has scheduled the quasi-military and highly patriotic ceremony on Monday, November 12, also a national holiday, so as to not interfere with the worship services of the city’s churches.

Co-sponsors of the event are Ripon’s two veterans’ organizations, American Legion Clinton McCausland Post 190 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Nicholas P. Kukulica Post 1051. Planning has been in the hands of a Joint Committee of both veterans groups, chaired by Chaplain Bill Hunter of American Legion Post 190.

The main speaker for this year’s event is United States Marine Corps’ Col. Adrian W. Burke who assumed command of the Defense Logistics Agency Defense Distribution Center San Joaquin, Tracy, in July 2010. His previous assignment was as Director of Logistics for U.S. Forces Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Colonel Burke has been highly decorated during his military career, including the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Star Medals, three Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy commendation Medals, two Navy Achievement Medals, and two Combat Action Ribbons. His unit decorations include the Presidential Unit Citation, four Joint Meritorious Unit Awards and two Naval Unit Citations.

Other program participants include Ripon’s Mayor, Elden “Red” Nutt; Chief of Police Ed Ormonde; Fire Chief, Ripon Consolidated Fire Department; contralto soloist Melody Wilson of Manteca’s Calvary Community Church; Rev. Ken Boonstra, pastor of Immanuel Christian Reformed Church, Ripon; and Rev. Glen Shirk, pastor of Grace Community Church, Ripon. Ernest Tyhurst, First Vice-Commander of American Legion Post 190, will be the event’s emcee.

Every year, Ripon’s veterans of all of the Armed Services are honored by branch of service. In addition this year, John Franscella, Past Commander of VFW Post 1051, will lead a segment of the program giving special recognition and honor to veterans of World War II and the Korean War. Veterans of this era are now in their seventies, eighties, and nineties It is estimated the United States is losing veterans of these wars at the rate of thousands every month.

The Armed Forces have always been the front line guarantors of America’s defense and freedom during times of both peace and war. Once again, Ripon has an opportunity to show appreciation for the city’s and nation’s veterans. The Joint Committee urges all Ripon veterans, citizens, and parents and children to be a part of the annual event and to visit Ripon’s renown Veterans Wall and Veterans Memorial Museum.