Kansas to honor veterans this weekend
Public invited to ceremony at the State Capitol on Saturday

There are roughly 253,000 military veterans living in our state and Governor Kathleen Sebelius will honor their service with a Veterans Day ceremony at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, November 11 in the 2nd Floor Rotunda of the State Capitol.

“I encourage all Kansans, even if they’re not able to attend a Veterans Day ceremony, to reflect and remember our military veterans and what their service means to us and to our nation,” Sebelius said.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the Capitol ceremony will pay special tribute to the Kansas men and women who served there on December 7, 1941.

“I’m honored so many veterans of Pearl Harbor are able to join us, so we can have an opportunity to thank them personally for their service.  Our thoughts and prayers also go out to those who won’t be able join us, particularly those who are currently serving abroad,” said Sebelius.

The event will include remarks by Kansas Adjutant General Tod Bunting and Jack Fowler, chairman of the Kansas Commission on Veterans’ Affairs. Chaplain Orris Kelly, former Army Chief of Chaplains, will deliver the invocation and benediction.

The American GI Forum Department of Kansas Color Guard will provide the posting and retirement of the colors and the Capital City Chorus will perform.

The traditional time for Veterans Day ceremonies is 11:00 a.m., the time of the signing of the armistice that ended World War I.  The ceremony at the Capitol is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. so attendees can also attend other commemorations later in the morning. 

Governor Sebelius has invited members of veterans service organizations across the state to the ceremony and members of the public are also encouraged to attend.

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