Officials organizing the Veterans Day events for Columbus have announced that the 82nd Airborne Division Band will participate in the parade and memorial service, which will follow.

The band has received a special waiver from the Department of Defense to perform in Columbus as travel restrictions were placed on military units resulting from sequestration.

The band, consisting of 22 musically talented airborne troopers, has a distinguished record of service both in their musical presentations and in their combat duty.

The band is an integral part of the 82nd Airborne Division, which is an active duty airborne infantry division of the United States Army. The division specializes in parachute assault operations.

It is also the presidential bodyguard division. Based at Fort Bragg, N.C., the 82nd Airborne Division is part of the XVIII Airborne Corps.

The 82nd Division was constituted in the National Army on Aug. 5, 1917, and was organized on Aug. 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Ga. Since its initial members came from all 48 states, the unit acquired the nickname “All American,” which is the basis for its famed “AA” shoulder patch.

Famous soldiers of the division included Sergeant Alvin C. York, General James M. Gavin, Dave Bald Eagle (grandson of Chief White Bull), Senator Strom Thurmond (325th GIR in World War II), Senator Jack Reed and Congressman Patrick Murphy (the first Iraq War veteran elected to Congress).

-article submitted by Otis Livingston