Columbia and Marion County will honor local veterans with a community celebration on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, at the Marion County Courthouse at 11 a.m.
Mississippi Court of Appeals Judge Virginia Carlton, a retired Army colonel, will serve as master of ceremonies for the event. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office will present the colors, setting a patriotic tone for the program. Steve Simmons of American Legion Post 90 will lead the invocation.
Columbia Mayor Justin McKenzie is scheduled to welcome guests, and Chris Turnage will sing the national anthem. Judge Carlton will lead attendees in the pledge of allegiance, followed by special music from Danielle Moore.
Col. Christopher Cooksey of the Mississippi Army National Guard will serve as guest speaker. Cooksey has had combat and operational deployments to Kuwait, Jordan, Syria, Haiti and several countries throughout Europe and the Middle East. He has earned a Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service and Expeditionary medals, Armed Forces Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M device, Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Ranger tab and the Parachutist badge.
The commemorative wreath will be presented by Chris Franklin of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5393 and Bill Harris of the American Legion Post 90. The benediction will be presented by Lionel Husband of the VFW Post 5393.
Retired Lt. Col. Duane Van Fleet said this year’s celebration brings notable changes. The Mississippi Army National Guard will display armored vehicles, including an Abrams tank and a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, in front of the courthouse, allowing attendees to learn more directly from National Guard personnel.
After the courthouse ceremony, a ribbon-cutting is planned at the National Guard Armory on U.S. 98, featuring refreshments provided by local businesses. It was announced in August that the 155th Armored Brigade would be moving its headquarters to Columbia from Tupelo, leading to a $1 million renovation of the armory. The brigade is the fourth largest armored brigade in the country with 4,000 soldiers. The armory’s new facilities will be open for public tours, with future expansions expected to boost economic opportunities in the area.
Local and state VIPs have been specially invited to the Veterans Day program, and the Army’s public affairs team is working to encourage community-wide attendance.
Decreasing attendance for past events led organizers to debate whether to have the event at the Veterans Monument inside City Park or return to the courthouse. They considered many factors, including security, visibility and feasibility, and concluded that the courthouse would attract more people with its prominent presence in downtown Columbia.
Van Fleet emphasized the importance of the Guard’s growing presence in Marion County, not only for military preparedness but as a catalyst for community and economic growth.
“We’ve hit a home run by having the 155th come aboard,” Van Fleet said.
The Veterans Day event is open to the public and aims to recognize service members past and present, foster community pride and strengthen ties between the military and Marion County residents.
