Official Dedication Ceremony-Afghanistan War Memorial

Description

The Department of Consumer & Veterans Services and Veterans Memorial Park Museum Committee, Inc. invite the community to the official dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Afghanistan War Memorial.

The new Afghanistan War Memorial honors Veterans who deployed to Afghanistan, notably 16 fallen service members from Hillsborough County and 135 additional Floridians who made the ultimate sacrifice during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) from 2001-2004.

Special event guests will include: keynote speaker, Gen. Joseph L. Votel, Commander, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) at MacDill Air Force Base; Mr. Scott Bill, a U.S. Navy Seal Gold Star Father; and multiple Gold Star families.

The Afghanistan War Memorial dedication event is free and open to all with bleacher seating available. Attendees are also encouraged to bring lawn chairs, arrive early for best parking, or join the motorcycle procession to the event:

• 8 a.m. - Veterans Memorial Park opens for viewing of all monuments and memorials
• 9:30 a.m. - Patriotic music begins
• 10 a.m. - Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins, Jr. Veterans Museum opens
• 10:30 a.m. - Motorcycle procession from Mobile Truck Stop, 6503 U.S. Hwy 301 N
• 11 a.m. - Dedication ceremony begins
• 12 noon - Free refreshments and fellowship
• 5 p.m. - Veterans Memorial Park closes

The U.S. conflict in Afghanistan began on Oct. 7, 2001, transitioned to Operation Freedom's Sentinal (OFS), and remains America's longest-running war. Hillsborough County's Afghanistan War Memorial features a guard tower and barricade atop pillars large enough to honor future fallen and OFS Veterans. Those interested in personalized bricks or granite for permanent display may contact the Veterans Memorial Park Museum Committee, Inc. at (813) 744-5349.