Military Ceremonies and Honors

A series of solemn military ceremonies showcasing flag presentations and memorials, featuring service members in uniforms with American flags, attended by dignitaries and families.

Team Travis Honor Guard Airmen present the colors during the Defense Health Agency Sacramento Market change of directorship and the 60th Medical Group change of command ceremony at David Grant USAF Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base, California, July 13, 2022. The change of command ceremony is rooted in military history, dating back to the 18th century, where the command flag is passed to the individual assuming command in the presence of the entire unit.

221012-N-CY569-0006 NORFOLK, Va. (Oct. 12, 2022) Sailors assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class, guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) parade the colors during a memorial ceremony commemorating the 22nd anniversary of the attack on Cole. Past and present Cole crew members gathered alongside families and guests for the ceremony at the USS Cole Memorial onboard Naval Station Norfolk.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jesus Vega German, 47th Force Support Squadron base honor guard program manager, left, lowers the American flag to fellow honor guard members during a retreat ceremony at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, on Sept. 2, 2022. The 85th FTS celebrated its 50th anniversary at Laughlin which ended with a retreat ceremony.

021006-F-5508F-508. Base: Fairchild Air Force Base State: Washington (WA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Team Travis Honor Guard Airmen present the colors during the Defense Health Agency Sacramento Market change of directorship and the 60th Medical Group change of command ceremony at David Grant USAF Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base, California, July 13, 2022. The change of command ceremony is rooted in military history, dating back to the 18th century, where the command flag is passed to the individual assuming command in the presence of the entire unit.

Maryland Governor Bob Ehrlich at podium, with Interior Secretary Gale Norton, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz behind, left to right, during unveiling of plaque, at War Correspondents Memorial, Burkittsville, Maryland, honoring four journalists killed during war-related coverage in Iraq, Pakistan

Members of the North Carolina Air National Guard (NCANG) render a salute during the playing of Taps at the Annual Memorial Wall Dedication Ceremony held at the NCANG Base, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, April 3, 2022. The Annual Memorial Wall Dedication Ceremony commemorated thirty-three Airmen that served in the North Carolina Air National Guard and passed away during the year 2021.

Service members, veterans, their families, and supporters gather for the Minnesota State Fairs Military Appreciation Day Tuesday, August 30, 2022, in Falcon Heights. This years focus was to honor the thousands of employers of members of the Minnesota National Guard, reserves and their families. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves, known as ESGR, is celebrating their 50th year of promoting cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. To mark the occasion, Minnesota Governor, and Commander-in-Chief of the Minnesota National Guard, Tim Walz signed a statement of support for ESGR, service members and their families. Members of Minnesotas 34th Red Bull Infantry Division Band also performed sets both at Leinie Lodge and on the main stage in Dan Patch Park. #HatsOffToEmployers #MilitaryEmployers #MNStateFair22 (Minnesota National Guard pho

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Edmund Spivak, 48th Civil Engineer Squadron commander, shares his experience as a New York construction worker during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks at the 9/11 memorial ceremony on Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, Sept. 11, 2022. Spivak worked as a volunteer after the attacks, helping remove rubble and debris while looking for survivors of the towers collapse.

World War II Veterans and representatives of those who could not be in attendance receive a challenge coin at the Eternal Heroes Monument in Normandy, France, June 2, 2022. World War II Veterans and representatives of the 82nd Airborne Division and 101st Airborne Divisions (Air Assault) came to honor fallen Paratroopers who liberated Ravenoville in June of 1944.

Lebanon High School JROTC Color Guard retires the flags at the Linn County Veterans Memorial Service on Veterans Day in Albany, Ore., November 11, 2022.

U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May personnel hold a 9/11 remembrance and wreath-laying ceremony on base at the Enlisted Memorial in Cape May, N.J., Sept. 11, 2022, Today, around the Coast Guard and locally here at Training Center Cape May, we remembered the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives 21 years ago in terror attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Soldiers assigned to the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) provide ceremonial support for the National Memorial Day Observance at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, May 30, 2022. President Joseph R. Biden participated in the Presidential Armed Forces Full Honor wreath-laying ceremony hosted by Maj. Gen. Allan M. Pepin, commanding general, Joint Task Force-National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington.

040326-F-6809H-028. Base: Barksdale Air Force Base State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

The Killeen Mayor Debbie Nash-King, Harker Heights Mayor Spencer Smith, Command Sgt. Maj. Cliff Burgoyne, III Corps command sergeant major, Col. Ian Palmer, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team commander, and other leaders stood shoulder to shoulder with over 500 members of the Fort Hood surrounding communities, at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen on May 30 during the benediction. Burgoyne said that he and his wife have been coming to the Killen Memorial Day ceremony for years.

September 11th remembrance ceremony held in front of NASA Research Park Bldg-17 (Lunar Science Institute) hosted by the American Legion, Post 881, Moffett Field. Flag detail - Lt Randy Vincent - NASA Protective Services, Ty Locatelli, Carlos Pinedo - NASA Fire Department

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Mississippi, for touring, participation in events highlighting the restoration project--funded jointly by the National Park Service and the Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign, as part of the National Park Centennial Initiative--aimed at replacing interpretive battlefield markers and conserving the array of bronze statuary and stone monuments at the Civil War site. Joining Secretary Kempthorne for the events, including the unveiling of the first group of 22 metal markers identifying the specific locations of various Union and Confederate artillery batteries during the siege and defense of Vicksburg, were National Park Service Director Mary Bomar, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairman John Nau III, and country music star Trace Adkins, among other dignitaries.

Soldiers assigned to the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) provide ceremonial support for the National Memorial Day Observance at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, May 30, 2022. President Joseph R. Biden participated in the Presidential Armed Forces Full Honor wreath-laying ceremony hosted by Maj. Gen. Allan M. Pepin, commanding general, Joint Task Force-National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington.

A trumpeter from the U.S. Air Force Ceremonial Brass Band plays "Taps" during military funeral honors with funeral escort for U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Cuthbert Pattillo and Lt. Gen. Charles Pattillo in Section 75 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Sept. 14, 2022.Twin brothers, Maj. Gen. and Lt. Gen. Pattillo enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in November 1942. During World War II, both flew with the Eighth Air Forces 352nd Fighter Group, protecting bombers and attacking ground targets. Maj. Gen. Pattillo flew 135 combat missions before being shot down and captured by the Germans. He remained a POW until the end of the war.Both were released from active duty following World War II but were later recalled in early 1948, serving with the 31st Fighter Group. Later, both served with the with the 36th Tactical Wing at Furstenfeldbruck Air Base in Germany. While in Europe, both helped form and flew in the U.S. Air Forces in Europe-North Atlantic Treaty Organization aerial demon

Members of the 173rd Fighter Wing, Kingsley Field Honor Guard, prepare to fold the US flag during a retreat ceremony while Command MASTER Sergeant Gene Hill tells what each fold of the flag represents. Base: Kingsley Field State: Oregon (OR) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: 173rd Fighter Wing

060527-N-9543M-001. Base: New York State: New York (NY) Country: United States Of America (USA)

security at Long Island September 11 memorial

A 423d Security Forces Squadron member salutes after placing a rose at the base of a flagpole at RAF Alconbury, England, Sept. 12, 2022. Every year at RAF Alconbury, the JROTC program hosts a remembrance ceremony for those lost on 9/11.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Mississippi, for touring, participation in events highlighting the restoration project--funded jointly by the National Park Service and the Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign, as part of the National Park Centennial Initiative--aimed at replacing interpretive battlefield markers and conserving the array of bronze statuary and stone monuments at the Civil War site. Joining Secretary Kempthorne for the events, including the unveiling of the first group of 22 metal markers identifying the specific locations of various Union and Confederate artillery batteries during the siege and defense of Vicksburg, were National Park Service Director Mary Bomar, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairman John Nau III, and country music star Trace Adkins, among other dignitaries.

Joint Base San Antonio hosted a synchronized flag formation at all three installations (JBSA-Lackland, JBSA-Fort Sam Houston and JBSA-Randolph) at 7:46 a.m. Sept. 12, 2022 at JBSA Fort Sam Houston. The ceremonies included a flag formation, a moment of silence, an invocation and a speaker. Lt. Gen. John R. Evans, U.S. Army North (Fifth Army) commander, led the remembrance ceremony at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston. The particular time of 7:46 a.m. Central time was chosen as that was when Flight 11 crashed into the north face of the North Tower (1 WTC) of the World Trade Center in New York City, between floors 93 and 99, at 8:46 a.m. Eastern time on Sept. 11, 2001.

The U.S. flag is presented to Peter Esmay following the funeral service of Esmay's uncle, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Myles W. Esmay, in Section 36 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Aug. 1, 2022. 1st Lt. Esmay was killed on June 7, 1944 during the siege of Myitkyina, Burma in World War II.From the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) press release:In the spring and summer of 1944, 1st Lt. Esmay, an infantry engineer, was a member of Company B, 236th Engineer Combat Battalion, reinforcing the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), also known as Merrills Marauders. Esmays battalion arrived at the recently captured airfield in Myitkyina, Burma, on May 28, where they were tasked with holding the airfield and taking part in the siege of Myitkyina. On June 4, the battalion attacked Japanese forces at Namkwi village northwest of the airfield. The fighting lasted until June 7. 1st Lt. Esmay was reported to have been killed on the last day of fighting.The remains of servicemen killed duri

010921-F-3745E-005. Base: Davis-Monthan Air Force Base State: Arizona (AZ) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

Members of a Joint Honor Guard consisting of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines, perform a flag folding ceremony during a memorial service hosted by the Missing in America (MIA) Project at the Willamette National Cemetery in Happy Valley, Ore. Aug. 29. The purpose of the MIA Project is to locate, identify and inter the unclaimed cremated remains of American veterans through the joint efforts of private, state and federal organizations. The MIA Project has identified 3,959 veteran cremains to date. (Oregon Army National Guard photo illustration by Staff Sgt. Zach Holden)

Turkish police officers stand at attention during the Atatürk Memorial Day Ceremony in Adana, Türkiye, Nov. 10, 2022. In commemoration of 84th anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of the modern-day Republic of Türkiye, the 10th Tanker Base Command and the 39th Air Base Wing paid tribute to Atatürk. Atatürk is credited with the birth and modernization of Türkiye and his accomplishments are celebrated throughout the nation. During this day of remembrance, the entire country of Türkiye pauses for two minutes at 9:05 a.m., to symbolize the moment Atatürk passed.

2006 Korean War Veterans Armistice Day Ceremony at the Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C., with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne joining Vice President Dick Cheney and South Koreaa's Ambassador to the U.S., Lee Tae-Sik, among the dignitaries participating

NORFOLK, Va. (Sep. 9, 2022)- Naval Support Activity (NSA) Hampton Roads Sailors and Morale, Recreation and Welfare honor and remember the lives of those lost and affected by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 during a remembrance ceremony onboard NSA Hampton Roads, September 9, 2022. Sunday marks 21 years since the terrorist attacks in 2001.

U.S. Space Force Lt. Col. Stewart C. Smith takes command of the 6th Space Warning Squadron, Cape Cod Space Force Station, Massachusetts, June 23, 2022. Smith, an Air Force Academy graduate, previously served as Director, Force Development, Joint Task Force Space Defense at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado. During the ceremony, Lt. Col. Timothy C. Sheehan, outgoing 6th SWS commander, relinquished his charge to Col. Miguel A. Cruz, commander of Space Delta 4, Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado. Sheehan has served as 6th SWS commander since 2020.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Mississippi, for touring, participation in events highlighting the restoration project--funded jointly by the National Park Service and the Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign, as part of the National Park Centennial Initiative--aimed at replacing interpretive battlefield markers and conserving the array of bronze statuary and stone monuments at the Civil War site. Joining Secretary Kempthorne for the events, including the unveiling of the first group of 22 metal markers identifying the specific locations of various Union and Confederate artillery batteries during the siege and defense of Vicksburg, were National Park Service Director Mary Bomar, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairman John Nau III, and country music star Trace Adkins, among other dignitaries.

An honor guard folds an American flag during the dedication service for a memorial to the 343 first responder victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks at Fire Station 1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Sept. 11, 2015. The ceremony dedicated a monument that includes a section of steel I-beam from the World Trade Center in New York.

U.S. Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 2 Steve ShawSegovia with Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, narrates during the 80th annual Evening Colors Ceremony at the Santa Margarita Ranch House on Camp Pendleton, California, Sept. 15, 2022. The ceremony was held to commemorate the official dedication of Camp Pendleton, which took place in September 1942. The base was named after Maj. Gen. Joseph H. Pendleton, who had long advocated for a West Coast training base to be established.

Hull Maintenance Technician First Class Rohan Knight (left) is presented an award on the fantail of the Brooke class guided missile frigate USS TALBOT (FFG-4) by the commanding officer, CMDR. Tom H. Reynolds, Jr. (right). Country: Unknown

World War II Veterans and representatives of those who could not be in attendance receive a challenge coin at the Eternal Heroes Monument in Normandy, France, June 2, 2022. World War II Veterans and representatives of the 82nd Airborne Division and 101st Airborne Divisions (Air Assault) came to honor fallen Paratroopers who liberated Ravenoville in June of 1944.

Foreign Affairs Day 2005 ceremonies, speeches, award presentations. Events included a ceremony at the American Foreign Service Association's (AFSA) Memorial Plaque, in the Harry S. Truman Building's C Street Lobby, honoring foreign service officers who died in the line of duty. AFSA President John Limbert, Under Secretary for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns, and other officials delivered remarks, as three new entries on the plaque the names of James Mollen and Edward Seitz, of U.S. Embassy Baghdad, and John O'Grady, of U.S. Consulate in Brisbane were unveiled.

Historic Lexington Cemetery on Memorial Day, 2011 where Police, Scouts, Veterans and Citizens honor fallen soldiers, MA

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Mississippi, for touring, participation in events highlighting the restoration project--funded jointly by the National Park Service and the Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign, as part of the National Park Centennial Initiative--aimed at replacing interpretive battlefield markers and conserving the array of bronze statuary and stone monuments at the Civil War site. Joining Secretary Kempthorne for the events, including the unveiling of the first group of 22 metal markers identifying the specific locations of various Union and Confederate artillery batteries during the siege and defense of Vicksburg, were National Park Service Director Mary Bomar, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairman John Nau III, and country music star Trace Adkins, among other dignitaries.

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Neal G. Loidolt removes the cover from his name inscribed on the granite walls during the Court of Honor Unveiling Ceremony at Camp Ripley, October 2, 2022. The Court of Honor monument is located outside the Minnesota Military Museum on base and features nearly 500 names of previous Minnesota service members, living and deceased, who have been honored with induction. (Minnesota National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh)

Members of the official party move July 14, 2022, during the Fort McCoy Garrison change-of-command ceremony at Fort McCoy, Wis. Col. Stephen T. Messenger received the garrison flag from Brenda McCullough, director of Installation Management Command-Readiness signifying Messenger as the new garrison commander. Messenger replaces Col. Michael D. Poss who became the garrison commander June 10, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in a virtual change-of-command ceremony. Poss moves on to serve in a position at the 88th Readiness Division also at Fort McCoy. Messenger arrives after serving in his prior assignment as the director of engineering and logistics, J4, Joint Task Force Civil Support, Fort Eustis, Va., which was on the front lines of the nations COVID response.

030919-F-0718S-024. Base: Spangdahlem Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Mississippi, for touring, participation in events highlighting the restoration project--funded jointly by the National Park Service and the Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign, as part of the National Park Centennial Initiative--aimed at replacing interpretive battlefield markers and conserving the array of bronze statuary and stone monuments at the Civil War site. Joining Secretary Kempthorne for the events, including the unveiling of the first group of 22 metal markers identifying the specific locations of various Union and Confederate artillery batteries during the siege and defense of Vicksburg, were National Park Service Director Mary Bomar, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairman John Nau III, and country music star Trace Adkins, among other dignitaries.

Event honoring the 186th birthday of Ulysses S. Grant, at the General Grant National Memorial, New York City, New York, with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne delivering remarks and joining participating dignitaries incluiding U.S. Army Brigadier General Robert Caslen, Commandant of the Corps of Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy; Adrian Benepe, New York City Commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recreation; Maria Burks, Commissioner of the National Parks of New York Harbor; and Ulysses Grant Dietz, the great-great grandson of General Grant. Also on hand for the event, featuring a wreath-laying ceremony, were members of the U.S. Military Academy Corps of Cadets Honor Guard.

010921-F-3745E-007. Base: Davis-Monthan Air Force Base State: Arizona (AZ) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

During a Patriot Day commemoration on September 8, 2022, an honor guard comprised of U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) Soldiers, police officers, and firefighters lowers the American flag to half mast as dozens of YPG personnel look on. The patter of a light rain falling on canopies above folding chairs for the audience was the only sound heard.

SGT Chris Stone and SGT Andrew Ramirez wave to well wishers (not shown) and the press with their families at the Landsthul Regional Medical Center, Landsthul, Germany, after being released by Yugoslavia. This mission is in direct support of NATO Operation Allied Force. SGT Chris Stone and SGT Andrew Ramirez wave to well wishers (not shown) and the press with their families at the Landsthul Regional Medical Center, Landsthul, Germany, after being released by Yugoslavia. This mission is in direct support of NATO Operation Allied Force.

Marine Corps leadership place a wreath in front of their portion of the memorial wall during the 53rd Annual Explosive Ordnance Disposal Memorial Ceremony, May 7. Names of recent fallen and past EOD technicians are added to the memorial wall and flags presented to their families during a ceremony each year at the Kauffman EOD Training Complex at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The all-service total now stands at 343. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Samuel King Jr.)

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Mississippi, for touring, participation in events highlighting the restoration project--funded jointly by the National Park Service and the Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign, as part of the National Park Centennial Initiative--aimed at replacing interpretive battlefield markers and conserving the array of bronze statuary and stone monuments at the Civil War site. Joining Secretary Kempthorne for the events, including the unveiling of the first group of 22 metal markers identifying the specific locations of various Union and Confederate artillery batteries during the siege and defense of Vicksburg, were National Park Service Director Mary Bomar, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairman John Nau III, and country music star Trace Adkins, among other dignitaries.

(CHINA LAKE) - Rear Adm. Dean VanderLey, NAVFAC Pacific commander delivers a keynote address during the OICC China Lake change of command ceremony on July 13 aboard Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 24, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, left, and motorcyclists with the Patriot Guard Riders stand together during a memorial on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Aug. 6, 2022. The memorial was conducted in remembrance of the 13 service members who were killed last year during the 26 August 2021 bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.

An Honor Guard comprised of members of the Utah National Guard conduct funeral honors for U.S. Army Cpl. David B. Milano at Evergreen Memorial Park in Ogden, Utah, April 29, 2022. Milano went missing in action Dec. 2, 1950, during the Korean War. After 71 years, his remains have been repatriated to the United States and have been laid to rest on U.S. soil.

14th Air Force Commander, Major General William R. Looney III USAF, (left), Colonel (COL) Stephen L. Lanning, USAF, and COL Robert P. Worley II, USAF, (right), salute as the National Anthem is played at the opening ceremonies of the 30th Space Wing Change of Command. Command was passed from COL Lanning to COL Worley, who arrived from Headquarters, United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C., where he served as CHIEF of the Space Superiority Division. Base: Vandenberg Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AFSPC

U.S. military service members, families and veterans gather during the National POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony hosted by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Sept. 16, 2022. The event is held every year on the third Friday of September, honoring prisoners of war and missing-in-action service members. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

Col. Jason Curl, 10th Mountain Division (LI) deputy commander for operations, addresses the audience at Memorial Park on May 26 during the Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony. (Photo by Mike Strasser, Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs)

U.S. Marine Security Guards present the colors of the United States at a Fourth of July reception at the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador, on July 2, 2015.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Mississippi, for touring, participation in events highlighting the restoration project--funded jointly by the National Park Service and the Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign, as part of the National Park Centennial Initiative--aimed at replacing interpretive battlefield markers and conserving the array of bronze statuary and stone monuments at the Civil War site. Joining Secretary Kempthorne for the events, including the unveiling of the first group of 22 metal markers identifying the specific locations of various Union and Confederate artillery batteries during the siege and defense of Vicksburg, were National Park Service Director Mary Bomar, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairman John Nau III, and country music star Trace Adkins, among other dignitaries.

Members of Joint Task Force-Bravo and the Honduran Air Force attend a joint NCO Induction Ceremony at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, Feb. 9, 2024. Air Force

Preston Wiloby, president of the 45th Infantry Division Association, salutes during a Memorial Day ceremony hosted by the 45th Infantry Division Museum in Oklahoma City, May 30, 2022. The museum has held military remembrance ceremonies since its establishment in September 1976. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Sgt. Reece Heck)

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Bradford J. Gering, commanding general of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, gives the American flag to Mrs. Hoar during the funeral of U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Joseph P. Hoar(retired) at Miramar National Cemetery, San Diego, California, Oct. 7, 2022. Gen. Hoar retired after 37 honorable years of service in 1994. He was well-respected for his humble and approachable leadership style. Gen. Hoar was a native of Boston and Maj. Gen. Gering is a native of Smithtown, New York.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Adam Schmidt, commander of the 15th Special Operations Squadron, gives a speech during a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of Chariot 55 at Hurlburt Field, Florida, June 10, 2022. Chariot 55, an MC-130H Combat Talon II, crashed shortly after takeoff during a nighttime exfiltration mission near Gardez, Afghanistan on June 12, 2002.

The ribbon cutting for the reopening of the Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Monterey Detachment Goodfellow headquarters was attended by Capt. Christopher Bryant, commanding officer, Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT); Air Force Col. Angelina Maguinness, 17th Training Wing Commander; Cmdr. Matthew Dalton, commanding officer, IWTC Monterey; staff, and several local civic leaders on Feb.2, 2024.

011110-D-2901G-001. Base: Redstone Arsenal State: Alabama (AL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Col. Robert S. Noren, commander of the 165th Airlift Wing, gives opening remarks during a change of command for the 165th Operations Group, Georgia Air National Guard, on June 12, 2022 in the Fuel Cell Hangar at the 165th Airlift Wing in Savannah, Georgia.

State Representative, Greg Smith, gives remarks to guests at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, in Umatilla, Oregon, in honor of Maj. Gen. (Ret) Raymond F. Rees, during a renaming ceremony of the installation on Sept. 29, 2022. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, providing the state of Oregon and the United States with a ready force of Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen. Rees also held various high-level leadership positions in the National Guard Bureau. He retired from military service in 2013. (Oregon National Guard photo by Aaron Perkins, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

SGT Chris Stone, waves to the press and well wishers (not shown) when he and his family and his two fellow former POW's (not shown) and their families met the press at the Landsthul Regional Medical Center, Landsthul, Germany, after being released by Yugoslavia. This mission is in direct support of NATO Operation Allied Force. SGT Chris Stone, waves to the press and well wishers (not shown) when he and his family and his two fellow former POW's (not shown) and their families met the press at the Landsthul Regional Medical Center, Landsthul, Germany, after being released by Yugoslavia. This mission is in direct support of NATO Operation Allied Force.

DEDEDO, Guam (Sept. 11, 2022) - Joint Region Marianas leadership, Guam's Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio, the Rotary Club of Northern Guam, and multiple other distinguished guests joined together at Two Lovers Point to observe the 21st Anniversary of 9/11. Guests and participants laid five wreaths in honor of the nearly 3,000 lives lost in the attack on the World Trade Center 21 years ago.

U.S. Army Sgt Robert McMillan from the 101st Band, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault,) presents Lt. Col. Matthew Crawford's wife, Nan, with red roses, thanking her for her tireless devotion and dedicated support to the Gladiator Battalion during the change of command ceremony June 13, 2022 at Fort Campbell, Ky. (U.S. Army Photos by Sgt Tanis Kilgore, 40th Public Affairs Detachment)

010727-F-8748C-009. Base: Raf Lakenheath State: East Anglia Country: England / Great Britain (ENG) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

2006 Korean War Veterans Armistice Day Ceremony at the Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C., with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne joining Vice President Dick Cheney and South Koreaa's Ambassador to the U.S., Lee Tae-Sik, among the dignitaries participating

A memorial to the 343 first responder victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks stands at Fire Station 1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center during its dedication on Sept. 11, 2015. A section of steel I-beam from the World Trade Center in New York forms the centerpiece of the monument.

10th Air Force commander, Maj. Gen. Bryan Radliff, delivers the Memorial Day address during the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemeterys wreath-laying ceremony May 30, 2022.

Oregon State Senator, Bill Hansell, addresses guest and other local officials during the renaming ceremony at the Raymond F. Rees Training Center, Umatilla, Oregon, on Sept. 29, 2022. Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Raymond F. Rees is a retired Oregon Guardsman and served as The Adjutant General, Oregon for more than 16 years, retiring from military service in 2013, and later worked as a civilian as the Deputy Secretary of the Army. (National Guard photo by John Hughel, Oregon Military Department Public Affairs)

U.S. Marines with 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade held a change of command ceremony on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, May 20, 2022. During the ceremony Brig. Gen. Anthony Henderson relinquished his command of the 2d MEB to Col. Nicholas Davis.

Ceremony at Department of Interior South Building marking adoption by Department employees of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division and the 10th Mountain Division as wartime focal points for volunteer activities on behalf of military families

Col. Damon Delarosa, district commander, presented Maj. Daniel Webb, project engineer, with the de Fleury Medal during a ceremony on June 16 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The medal honors of his significant contributions to the field of Army engineering during his tenure with the district.

020920-F-4649H-003. Subject Operation/Series: NORTHERN WATCH Base: Incirlik Air Base, Adana Country: Turkey (TUR) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

Tommy Mize, director, Installation Management Command-Europe, delivers a speech during the Gold Star Families Tree Memorial unveiling outside of the Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center on Clay Kaserne, Wiesbaden, Hessen, DE, Oct. 11, 2022. Installation Management Command-Europe is headquartered in Sembach, Germany.

Senior Airman Thomas Landon, 75th Security Forces Squadron, reads the namesof fallen first responders during the 9/11 Memorial Ceremony Sept. 9, 2022,at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The Sept. 11, 2001, attacks were one of thedarkest days in U.S. history, with nearly 3,000 people killed.

Maj. Gen. Michael C. McCurry, USAACE and Fort Rucker commanding general, speaks at the National POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony at Veterans Park on Fort Rucker Sept. 16, 2022. Photo by Jay Mann.

The 88th Readiness Division supported the William Henry Harrison Presidential Wreath Laying Ceremony on Feb. 10, 2023, North Bend, Ohio. Maj. Gen. Matthew Baker, commander of the 88th RD, lays a wreath as President Joseph Biden's representative. He's joined by North Bend Mayor Doug Sammons.

U.S. Military members, Veterans, friends and family stand at the position of attention during a Veterans Day Ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, November 11, 2022. Veterans Day began as Armistice Day, honoring the end of World War I. Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans, living or dead, who served their country honorably during war or peacetime. This ceremony was presented by the Oahu Veterans Council.

Veterans from all countries partake in presenting the colors of all nations during a Memorial Day ceremony at the LaFayette Escadrille Monument in Paris, France. Base: Paris Country: France (FRA)

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. addresses the crowd in attendance during the U.S. Air Forces 75th Birthday Celebration Spring Tattoo on the Air Force Ceremonial Lawn at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., May 3, 2022. The military Tattoo is an historic tradition held worldwide, showcasing the excellence and readiness of service members. JBAB welcomed the Air Force Chief of Staff as the base continued a storied tradition with performances from The United States Air Force Band and Honor Guard which showcased their incredible capabilities and celebrated 75 years of history.

040817-F-2522R-002. Base: Gunter Annex, Maxwell Afb State: Alabama (AL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Soldiers assigned to the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) participate in the Korean War Veterans Memorial Wall of Remembrance Dedication Ceremony in Washington, D.C., July 27, 2022. The Wall of Remembrance will feature the names of more than 36,000 Americans who died supporting the War and over 7,100 Koreans who died while augmenting the Army. Doug Emhoff, The Second Gentleman, Jake Sullivan, National Security Adviser, Lee Jong-sup, Minister of Defense of South Korea, Gen. John H. Tilleli (Ret.), Chairman of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation, laid a wreath in honor of those who served and gave their lives in the conflict.

Gourbesville celebrates the 82nd Airborne Divisions contributions to the liberation of Normandy in Picauville, France, June 1, 2022. U.S. Army Col. Richard Taylor of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Abn. Div., provided remarks in celebration of the 78th Anniversary of the Normandy invasion.

040611-F-6217S-012. Base: Little Rock Air Force Base State: Arkansas (AR) Country: United States Of America (USA)

The Indiana National Guard supported the 152nd Crown Hill Memorial Service, May 30, 2022 at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Ind. The ceremony included keynote speaker, retired Marine Cpl. Josh Bleill, a joint-service color guard, the 38th Infantry Division band, a wreath laying ceremony and a 21-gun Howitzer cannon salute.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8312 honor guard prepares to fire a 21-gun salute during a Memorial Day ceremony, May 30, 2022, at Veterans Memorial Park, Beavercreek, Ohio. Local military and civilian leaders and community members participated in Memorial Day events in the greater Dayton area.

Retired U.S. Army Sgt. Gil Castro and U.S. Marine Master Gunnery Sgt. Jack Smith, the operations chief with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, stand at attention before the national anthem is played during a ceremony at Ladera Ranch, California, Nov. 11, 2022. Marines with 1st LAR set up a static display with LAV-25 Light Armored Vehicles as part of the Ladera Ranch Veterans Day ceremony.

Military leaders and distinguished guests took part in the unveiling of the Brig. Gen.l Theodore Roosevelt jr. statue at Sainte Mère-Église on June 6, 2022. The ceremony honored the service of Roosevelt who led several groups of Soldiers at Utah beach during the invasion of Normandy . For his valor, courage, and leadership during the assault on Utah beach, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May holds a Memorial Day ceremony, May 30, 2022, on base in Cape May, N.J. This Memorial Day, Adm. Karl Schultz, commandant of the Coast Guard, called on all members of the service to honor and remember our countrymen who were killed on the battlefield or died from related injuries or sickness as they fought to preserve the ideals of freedom and democracy. The Coast Guard will remember all United States Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and Merchant Mariners who paid the ultimate sacrifice, who gave their last full measure of devotion fighting for our Nation and the family members they left behind.U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Timothy Tamargo

061111-N-3750S-017. Base: San Antonio State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: NAVCO

Members of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection Police (DEP) Color Guard, and Veterans Corp of Artillery of NY Color Guard present the colors at the 104th Annual First Provisional Regiment New York Guard Aqueduct Defense Memorial Service at the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery on May 1st, 2022. The ceremony remembers the 40 Soldiers of the New York Guard First Provisional Regiment who died while serving New York during World War I, protecting the New York City Reservoir System. The New York Guard are the predecessors to the current NYC DEP, who protected the systems over one hundred years ago, the mission in which the NYC DEP continues to this day. (New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs photos by New York Guard Captain Mark Getman)

U.S. Army Chaplain Capt. Kenneth Henderson, assigned to the 509th Strategic Signal Battalion, gives the invocation during the change of command ceremony for Bravo Company, 307th Military Intelligence at Caserma Ederle in Vicenza, Italy, Feb. 16, 2024. Army

Veteran U.S. Marines Mike East, James "Jim" Tracy, and Larry East, who lowered the American flag at U.S. Embassy Havana in 1961, present the flag to the 2015 Embassy Marine Guards to raise at the newly re-opened U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, on August 14, 2015. This is the first time the American flag is raised at the Embassy in 54 years.

DF-ST-86-10930. Base: Colorado Springs State: Colorado (CO) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Office of the Administrator (Stephen L. Johnson) - September 11th Ceremony , Environmental Protection Agency

Event, including wreath-laying ceremony, honoring Interior law enforcement personnel killed in the line of duty, with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Law Enforcement and Security Larry Parkinson, and other officials on hand to speak, pose with law enforcement staff from respective bureaus

of 2