San Antonians honor nation’s heroes during Celebrate America’s Military Published Nov. 4, 2022 By Lori A. Bultman 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- San Antonio is called Military City USA for a reason. When the city, which has a population nearing 1.5 million, celebrates service members, it pulls out all the stops. This year’s Celebrate America’s Military, hosted by the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, is no exception. During November, numerous organizations from around the area will inundate local calendars with events to honor those who answered the call to serve their country. Junior NCOs will be honored at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 5, by the American Legion with a complimentary fried fish dinner for active duty, Guard and Reserve members and one guest, while supplies last. Registration is required. Another American Legion event will be held 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Nov. 5, at 3518 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio. The "We Honor Veterans" outreach event includes several free services and information booths. St. Philip’s College Good Samaritan Veterans Outreach and Transition Center will host the 2022 Texas Veterans Fair on Nov. 5 at the center’s parking lot, 202 Connelly St, San Antonio. This event is free and features service organizations that work with veterans in Military City USA. For those preparing to leave military service, there will be a Hiring Red, White and You fair by Texas Workforce Solutions 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Nov. 10. The event will be held at the Freeman Coliseum Expo Hall, 100 AT&T Center Parkway, San Antonio. As Celebrate America’s Military continues, several traditional events are scheduled for Veterans Day, Nov. 11. At 9:30 a.m., the public is invited to honor Veterans at the annual Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery Veterans Day ceremony. A Buffalo Soldiers Veterans Day Commemorative Ceremony, where Maj. Gen. William Thigpen, commanding general, U.S. Army South, will be the guest speaker, will take place at 1:30 p.m. at San Antonio National Cemetery, 517 Paso Hondo Street. That evening, the USO will host a Salute to Troops event at 6 p.m. at the Tech Port Center + Arena. The salute will be a celebration of the military, past, present, and future. The event will feature marquee entertainers as well as produced vignettes throughout an evening of fun and entertainment. Tickets are free to current military members, active-duty, Guard or Reserve, and their families. Service member tickets will be available at the San Antonio USO. Please check the website for more information on ticket distribution closer to the event date. Also that night, the Air Force Band of the West will perform their Veterans Day Concert, 7-9 p.m., at the Lila Cockrell theatre in downtown San Antonio. On Saturday, Nov. 12, San Antonio Veterans Day activities will take place at Hemisfair from noon until 10 p.m. The event is free to attend and will include live music, entertainment, and more. For those interested in military history, a Star Spangled Blue event will be held 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Nov. 13, at the Walker Ranch Community Center. At this event, attendees will hear about the history and legacy of Vietnam Era Veterans in San Antonio through a series of panels and activities meant for citizens of all ages. One of the final events during this year’s Celebrate America’s Military will be a unique collaboration between the University of Texas San Antonio Band and 323rd Army Band, Fort Sam’s Own, which will take place from 3-4:30 p.m., Nov. 13, at the UTSA Recital Hall, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio. This concert is free and open to the public. Celebrate America’s Military and Veterans Day are quickly approaching, so please take this opportunity to mark your calendar for several of the exciting events supporting local service members and their families here in Military City USA. The exciting lineup for this year’s celebration is sure to inspire and show support for the nation’s heroes. More information on these and other CAM events may be found at: http://www.celebrateamericasmilitary.com/events.html.