By: Sharon Aron Baron
Join our area veterans on Wednesday, November 11, who deserve this day in recognition of their service to our country. This invitation is for all residents to join the City of Tamarac and our elected officials, as they salute veterans in a poignant ceremony.
Special guest speaker this year will be Lieutenant Colonel James “JD” Davis who retired from the US Army in October 2011 after serving over 22 years on active duty.
Davis served in many staff and command assignments as a Military Police Officer with service overseas in Afghanistan, Belgium, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Norway, Panama, and South Korea. Some of his duty assignments include: Platoon Leader, Detachment Commander, Battalion Operations Officer, Deputy Provost Marshal, Provost Marshal, and Battalion Commander. His deployments include Security Operations during Operation PROMOTE LIBERTY, Fort Clayton, Panama; Humanitarian Operations during Operation GITMO, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; and Combat Operations during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Bagram, Afghanistan. His career culminated as a Professor of Military Science and Battalion Commander at Florida International University.
Colonel Davis’ major awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. He is an Army paratrooper and earned the coveted Senior Parachutist Badge and the Air Assault Badge.
He is a 2003 graduate of the US Army Command & General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Arts Degree in Public Administration from Webster University.
There will also be the Massing of Colors by the Tamarac Fire Rescue as well as music played by the J.P. Taravella High School Concert Band. Light refreshments after the service by VITAS Health Care
The Veteran’s Day event will be at 10:30 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park at 7825 Southgate Boulevard.
