The University of Utah will honor 11 Utah veterans at its 22nd Annual Veterans Day Commemoration Ceremony on Monday, Nov. 11, 2019, in the A. Ray Olpin Union Building Ballroom. The tribute kicks off a series of events planned for throughout the week, including a dodgeball tournament, a panel discussion on military dogs, a performance at Kingsbury Hall and military highlights at the football game.

The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. and will be preceded by a bagpipe procession from the Marriott Library to the Union at 10:30 a.m. Nominations came from across the state, and the 11 veterans chosen to be honored will each receive a commemorative medallion onstage at the ceremony.

NOTE: As part of the event, you will hear several cannon shots from outside the Union building: three at approximately 9 a.m. and three at 11 a.m.

Doctor of Pharmacy student Alan Abbinanti will be awarded the 2019 Student Veteran of the Year Award. For his meritorious service to Utah veterans, Geoff Panos will receive the Rick Randle Award. Brig. Gen. Doug Cherry, deputy commander, 76th Operational Response Command, will provide the keynote address. Special guest of honor, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney will provide additional remarks and assist in presenting the medallions to the 11 honorees with Brig. Gen. Cherry.

A panel discussion, “Military Working Dogs: Man’s Best Friend,” will be held at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, in the Hinckley Institute Caucus Room located in the Gardner Commons building just south of the Union building, 260 Central Campus Drive. Panelists include the kennel master for Hill Air Force Base, owners of retired working dogs and Utah’s 2nd Congressional District Director Gary Webster.

The week concludes with a football game between Utah and UCLA at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 6 p.m. Veterans from all branches of the armed forces will be highlighted in a special halftime show.

During the game’s special halftime show, veterans from all branches of the armed forces will be highlighted.

The commemoration ceremony and the panel discussion are free and open to the public, but the other events require tickets.

For a complete list of honors and events, visit veteransday.utah.edu.

The honored

• Ralph C. Borja, ranger, U.S. Army, Grenada/Panama/Afghanistan
• Joseph R. Bouley, pilot, U.S. Air Force, Operation Desert Shield/Storm
• Thomas Goff, pilot, U.S. Army, Vietnam/Afghanistan
• Terry R. Hoecherl, combat medic, U.S. Army, Vietnam
• Leland F. Hortman, infantryman, U.S. Army/Louisiana Army National Guard, World War II
• Earl M. Jacklin, radar technician, U.S. Army/Utah Army National Guard, World War II/Korean War
• Glenn W. Johnson, special forces, U.S. Army, Afghanistan/Africa/Iraq
• Stanley B. Nance, radio operator (Ghost Army), U.S. Army, World War II
• Jack W. Peck, pilot, U.S. Army, Vietnam
• Donald W. Pullan, engineer, U.S. Army, World War II
• Richard C. Stiefken, pararescueman, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam