Marking the Great War's end

Veterans Day

| The New Mexican

11/10/2008 - 11/11/08

VFW Post 2951 in Santa Fe will host a Veterans Day event starting at 11 a.m. today at Veterans Memorial Park on Galisteo Street.

Mayor David Coss is scheduled to speak, and state Department of Veterans Services Secretary John Garcia will deliver the keynote address.

In his speech, Garcia will remind listeners that this year's Veterans Day marks the 90th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice Treaty that ended World War I, a spokesman said.

Also on hand for today's ceremony will be the captain of the USS Santa Fe, a nuclear attack submarine, Cmdr. Vernon J. Parks.

Other officers and men who will attend are Lt. Douglas Hagenbuch; Senior Chief Petty Officer John Davis; Fire Control Technician Richard Heering; Electronics Technician 3rd Class Ricardo Mendez; and Machinists Mate 2nd Class Timothy Moore.

The USS Santa Fe was launched in Groton, Conn., on Dec. 12, 1992.

After the ceremony, the submarine personnel will visit the Santa Fe Boys and Girls Club on Alto Street.

No Veterans Day ceremonies are planned for Santa Fe National Cemetery this year. However, a Veterans Day ceremony is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. today at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park in Angel Fire.

The event will honor the helicopters of the Vietnam War and those who used them. Speakers will include members of the Vietnam Veterans Helicopter Pilots Association.

City and state government offices will be closed today, and there will be no mail delivery. The public libraries will be closed.

Fort Marcy and the Genoveva Chavez Community Center will be closed, but the Salvador Perez recreational center will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Santa Fe Trails bus system will run on a Saturday schedule. Routes available are 1, 2, 4 and M. Hours of operation are from 8:15 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The city's solid-waste division will run its regular trash pickup route today.

Banks will be closed, but many businesses will be open.