Okaloosa County Celebrates its Military Heroes in 75th AF Anniversary
Okaloosa County gathered together to celebrate the military: first with the U.S. Air Force’s 75th Anniversary celebration, followed the next day with a salute to several veterans inducted into the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame. The 75th Anniversary took place at the Northwest Florida State College Mattie Kelly Arts Center in Niceville. The Hall of Fame event took place at Magnolia Grill in Fort Walton Beach.
Eglin Federal
Credit Union and the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce hosted both
events. Boeing and Northwest Florida State College also sponsored the
75th-anniversary celebration.
75th
Anniversary Celebration
Nine panelists
discussed the role played by the Air Force during major events in U.S. Military
history. Topics of discussion featured many first-hand accounts from people
involved in training for the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, Operation Desert Storm, the
Iran Hostage Rescue Mission, Osama bin Laden Raid, Vietnam War, Korean War,
Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan and more.
The 75th-anniversary
celebration included several special guests, including SEAC Ramón “CZ”
Colón-López, the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, and Retired Capt. Dale Dye a decorated Vietnam War Marine. Dye is
the founder and head of Warriors, Inc., a technical advisory company
specializing in portraying realistic military action in Hollywood films. He has
offered his expertise to television shows such as the HBO miniseries “Band of
Brothers” and “The Pacific.”
Ted Corcoran,
president and CEO of the Greater FWB Chamber, stated, “It’s just amazing that
our neighbors and friends were involved in these crucial military operations
throughout the world.” Corcoran pointed out that the Air Force, and the
military as a whole, are just loved in Okaloosa County, and this event is a
special way to honor our brave men and women.
The panelists
included: Cindy Cole Chal, Col Howard Hill, Col Larry Ropka, Col Bill Keeler, Chief
Master Sergeant Bill Walter, Lt Col Kirby Locklear, Lt Col Corby Martin, Col
Allison Black and Lieutenant General Marshall “Brad” Webb. The riveting stories
brought the news headlines to life.
Salute to the Veterans’ Hall
of Fame Inductees
The state
established the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame in 2013 to recognize and honor
military veterans who have made a significant contribution to Florida through
their years of service. Nine Okaloosa County veterans have been inducted since
2016.
Florida
Department of Veterans’ Affairs representative Bob Asztalos spoke about the
importance of the Veteran’s Hall of Fame. The chamber presented two plaques to
Okaloosa County Commissioner Trey Goodwin to display in the county’s two
courthouses.
“This is not to
recognize the veteran for their military service, it’s their post-military
service. It’s for what they did when they came back,” said Asztalos. “It’s
incredible to me how veterans will go off to war, will serve this county, will
do all of that, and then come back and continue to keep giving. And that is who
we are honoring tonight.”
Corcoran concluded
by saying, “the quiet professionals that we have here in the Air Force don’t
pat themselves on the back very often, and it’s our job to do that!”
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