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Opening Ceremony for NE Montana Veterans Memorial Set for July 4

The Garrison United States flag will join the Montana flag, the POW/MIA flag, and six branch of service flags to fly majestically in the wind on July 4 as the Northeast Montana Veterans Memorial officially opens. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. at the site in Fort Peck. Ann Kulczyk of Glasgow chairs the Opening Ceremony Committee and she invites everyone to attend this historic event.

Guests of honor will be World War II, Korean War, and disabled veterans and seating will be provided for them. Others are asked to bring their own chairs, she explained.

Purple Heart recipient Chuck Hayter of Billings is the featured speaker. The Marine veteran completed three distinguished tours in Afghanistan and one tour in Iraq. It was after 9/11, as a senior football player at Carroll College, that he accepted a commission and took his first deployment to Afghanistan in 2004.

While leading a patrol scouting enemy positions, he stepped on a land mine that tore apart his right foot. Later at a Naval Hospital, he received a below-the-knee amputation. By July of 2005, Hayter had passed all the physical requirements needed to remain on active duty.

He deployed to Iraq as an 81 mm Mortar Platoon Commander on the Syrian border. He returned to Afghanistan in 2009 with the Command Element for the II Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Helmond Provence and later to Marjah, Afghanistan. He completed his career in the Marines with deployments in California, Ohio and North Carolina. Currently, he is liaison to the associated director at the Billings VA Clinic.

The brief ceremony will allow time for guests to enjoy the park and visit with the Board of Directors, explained Kulczyk, who served in Desert Storm and Iraq.

Master of Ceremonies for the program will be Don Fast of Glasgow, who served as an ordinance officer with the US Army and is a Vietnam veteran. The Glasgow High School Scottie Band and vocalist Hailey Stone of Glasgow will provide music. Buglers playing echoing Taps will bring the ceremony to a close.

Parking is available on the streets close to the Memorial site, and at the Fort Peck Theatre parking lot. For those with walking difficulties, rides from parking to the site will be provided as needed.

Bottled ice water will be available to everyone and attendees are asked not to bring coolers. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the Fort Peck Town Hall.

 

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