This year’s Veterans Day Parade in Columbus, hosted by the Patriots Salute to Veterans Association, Inc. (PSVA) will begin at 10 a.m. on Nov. 11, 2015.

 

This year’s event will be bigger than ever with many veterans support organizations present to assist veterans and veterans’ families with information, guidance, and services available to them.

 

We are grateful to have Tom Crabtree, anchor for 7 On Your Side WSPA, as our parade announcer.

 

“Tom has been our announcer since this event was started years ago and we truly appreciate him volunteering his time to help us out again this year. He is a true hearted supporter of veterans,” says Bevin Corbin, this year’s PSVA president.

 

This year were are honored to have retired Col. Otis “Hoot” Livingston US Army  as our grand marshal and guest speaker at the wreath laying ceremony following the parade in the Columbus Veterans Park.

 

Livingston is a native of Columbia, S.C. While serving in the military, he was a member of the 7^th Infantry Division in Korea as a platoon leader and was in action near “Pork Chop” hill and on “Old Baldy” during the final six months of the war.  He attend the Army Ranger School and remained there as an instructor for three years. He attended Airborne School and was assigned to the 82^nd Airborne Division where he became commanding officer of the 2^nd Battalion, 501st Infantry and served in Vietnam.

 

Among his awards are the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars for Valor, two Legion of Merits, six Air Medals, the Gallantry Cross of Vietnam, and numerous commendations and campaign awards to include two awards of the Expert Infantry Badge.

 

“Hoot” now lives near Columbus with wife Nancy and is an active member of many local organizations to include having been one of the founders of this parade and the Patriots Salute to Veterans Association, Inc.

 

More than 45 organizations, including two bands, have signed up for the parade, which will start from the west entrance to the Food Lion Plaza parking lot and head downtown.

The weather forecast, as of this printing, is for cloudy skies with 65-degree temperatures.

 

If the forecast should change to moderate/heavy rains we will have to cancel but that will be determined on Monday, Nov. 9, according to the PCVA President.

“Veterans Day is not only about honoring and showing our appreciation for the service and sacrifices our men and women in uniform and their families are making now to keep this country free and safe but to honor those veterans that came before us and did the same thing.”

 

This event is a great opportunity for all to help pass along the legacy of our servicemen and women to our youth and show them a part of why this is a still a land of the free and the home of the brave.

 

 

– Submitted by Bevin Corbin