By Holly Walker
On November 11, John Tyler Community College will honor past and present members of the armed services during the College’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony. Students, faculty, staff and members of the community are invited to attend the event, which will begin at 11:00 a.m. in Hamel Hall, room H109 on the College’s Midlothian Campus.
Maj. Michael Booker, Deputy Commander, 34th Civil Support Team (WMD), Virginia Army National Guard will deliver the keynote address, "Empathy and the American Veteran." Prior to his current assignment, Maj. Booker served as the Brigade S1 for the 91st Troop Command. He has also served as the Aide-de-camp and Executive Officer for the Adjutant General of Virginia; Officer Candidate School Training and TAC Officer at the Virginia Officer Candidate School; and Commander of both the 183rd Regional Training Institute Detachment and Alpha Battery, 1st 246th Field Artillery Battalion. He has served as a Battalion S1 at two separate battalions in Virginia and has served in various other commissioned and enlisted positions. In 2008-2009, Maj. Booker was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as the Brigade Executive Officer of an Embedded Training Team in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he was awarded the Combat Action Badge and the Bronze Star. He was also deployed to Aberdeen Proving Grounds in 2002 in support of Operation Noble Eagle.
In addition to the keynote address, the ceremony will include recognition of Tyler’s faculty, staff and student veterans; a memorial tree planting; and a preview of the documentary, “Honor Flight.”
For more information about John Tyler Community College’s Veterans Day Ceremony, contact Lisa Kendrick at lkendrick@jtcc.edu or 804-594-1527.