Sikeston Memorial Day ceremony set

SIKESTON—The community of Sikeston will observe Memorial Day with a service at 10:30 a.m. May 30 at Veterans Park in Sikeston.

In the event of rain, the service will be held at the First Christian Church. Local veterans from both the VFW and American Legion will participate in the service along with members of the Sikeston Veterans Park Committee. The prayer of remembrance will be offered by the Rev. Mathew Vroman, pastor of the First Baptist Church and a veteran of the Air Force.

Perry Harper, minister of Music of the First Baptist Church, will sing the national anthem. The Sikeston Department of Public Safety will perform the 21-gun salute and Ethan Bartlett will play taps. Sikeston Mayor Greg Turnbow will also make a special presentation. After the service, veterans and their families are invited to the American Legion Post for lunch provided by the Legion Auxiliary.

Honored guest and speaker will be retired U.S. Air Force Major General Cassie Strom, who was the Air National Guard assistant to the Judge Advocate General of the United States Air Force in the Pentagon. In this position, Strom provided leadership, strategic planning and management of the entire Air National Guard Judge Advocate Program encompassing 440 judge advocates and paralegals at Air National Guard offices through-out the nation.. She was the first female of the Air Force to attain the rank of Major General in the Judge Advocate Corps.

“After her retirement from the Air Force, Major General Strom has been a strong advocate on behalf of veterans and serves on a host of Foundations on matters pertaining to veterans affairs,” said Blair Moran with the Sikeston American Legion.

This past spring Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe honored Strom as one of Missouri’s women of achievement at a luncheon in Jefferson City, Missouri.