The Nevada Air Guard color guard present flags at a previous Flag Day ceremony in Carson City marking specific historical times in U.S. history. This year’s Flag Day is June 14 behind the state capitol.
Photo by Steve Ranson.
Three major military events will occur in June, beginning with Flag Day and the celebration of the Army’s 250th birthday on June 14.
The Nevada National Guard is hosting its 27th annual Flag Day ceremony and a birthday celebration for the U.S Army as the nation’s oldest military service celebrates its 250th birthday.
Conducted in partnership with the Nevada State Archives, the Flag Day observance begins at 10 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial behind the state capitol on 101 N. Carson St.
The event is free and open to the public and will include an Army helicopter flyover and historical flag presentation by the Nevada Air Guard.
This year’s ceremony will include remarks from the state’s adjutant general, Brig. Gen. D. Rodger Waters.
After the ceremony, the Nevada State Archives will remain open for members of the public to see its newest exhibit, “All For Our Country. This exhibit focuses on Nevadans who served in the military during the Civil War, Spanish-American War and both world wars.
According to the Nevada National Guard, the U.S. Army is two years older than the U.S. Flag. A resolution of the Continental Congress authorized 10 companies of riflemen on June 14, 1775, to establish the U.S. Army. Two years later, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act and adopted the stars-and-stripes design as our nation’s flag.
President Harry Truman signed an act of Congress in 1949 designating June 14 at National Flag Day.
Later that day the William C. Westmoreland Chapter of the Association of the United States Army in Northern Nevada is hosting a gala to celebrate the United States Army’s 250th birthday in partnership with various community organizations.
The central theme for this year’s celebration is “This We’ll Defend.”
The gala, according to organizers, will shape the country’s future by honoring the nation’s warfighters that embody the values that have been the hallmarks of the United State Army culture since its beginning.
Nevada Army National Guard and local private collectors, who are major supporters of the gala, will showcase historic static displays throughout the museum.
Speakers for the night include retired Maj. Gen. Mark Mac Carley, who was commissioned in the U.S. Army Reserve in 1983 and retired in 2015 as the deputy chief of staff for the Army's Training and Doctrine Command.
Also speaking is Waters, who became the first Army general in 40 years to lead the Nevada National Guard. He assumed command in October from now retired Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry.
The American Legion is also presenting the 106th annual Department of Nevada convention family dinner on June 28 at the Fallon Convention Center. The guest speaker is Medal of Honor recipient Donald "Doc" Ballard, a Vietnam War veteran.
Ballard is no stranger to Northern Nevada. He previously spoke at a veterans’ event in in Sparks in January 2018. He also attended the dedication of the Gold Stat Memorial at the Nevada
Navy veteran and medical corpsman Donald “Doc” Ballard received the Medal of Honor because of his heroic actions when he rolled over a grenade to save the lives of Marines under his care.
To Ballard’s amazement, the grenade didn’t explode, but once he realized what had occurred, he hurriedly threw the grenade away from the Marines where it then exploded, saving all of them from severe injury or death.
Ballard was a young sailor assigned to the M Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division in the North Central Coast region of Quang Tri province
The cost is $40 per person. The event begins at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour followed by a dinner buffet at 7 p.m.
EVENT DETAILS
Army gala
Ticket information: General Seating: $75 per person. Open seating. Sponsor opportunities: Various Sponsorship levels available
To order by mail, make checks payable to: VFW Silver State Post 3396; Sparks, NV 89434
Order online at www.vfw3396.org
For inquiries and sponsorship opportunities, contact event coordinator David Sousa at 775-544-8786.
Civilian attire: Formal with black tie optional. Military: ASU, dress mess, Army white.
State American Legion dinner
Tickets must be purchased by June 20. Pay via PayPal or by sending remittance to the American Legion Post 16, Attn: Convention Committee. 90 N. Ada St., Fallon, NV 89406.