5 Ways To Observe Veterans Day In West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Veterans Day is coming up on Tuesday, Nov. 11, with several opportunities around West Hartford to honor those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, both in times of war and peace.

Originally called Armistice Day, Veterans Day is always observed on Nov. 11 to reflect the signing of the armistice ending World War I at 11 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

The observance was changed to Veterans Day in 1954 to include veterans who served in World War II and the Korean War.

Here are some upcoming Veterans Day events you shouldn’t miss:

• American Legion Post 96 and the Town of West Hartford will hold a brief Veterans Day ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. at the Connecticut Veterans Memorial located on the corner of North Main Street and Farmington Avenue, West Hartford Center.

If the weather is inclement, the ceremony will be relocated indoors in the West Hartford Town Hall Auditorium, 50 S. Main St.

Retired U.S. Army Capt. Marc Giammatteo will be the keynote speaker.

Giammatteo, a Southington native and West Hartford resident, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2000.

In March 2003, he deployed to Iraq with the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he led more than 100 combat missions.

On Jan. 8, 2004, he was severely wounded, sustaining multiple injuries when his combat patrol was ambushed by insurgents with rocket-propelled grenades.

After more than 30 operations and two-and-a-half years of rehabilitation at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., he was honorably discharged in November 2006.

He was awarded the Bronze Star for exceptionally meritorious performance and received the Purple Heart from President George W. Bush.

In 2007, Giammatteo was selected by the President to join eight other commissioners on the President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors.

After receiving his MBA from Harvard Business School in 2008, Giammatteo joined J.P. Morgan as an Investment Banker in the Mergers and Acquisitions group in Manhattan.

Giammatteo is currently a volunteer with the West Hartford Community Emergency Response Team and is a member of Post 96, a treasurer on the King Philip Middle School PTO Board, and an Assistant Coach in the West Hartford Girls Basketball League.

Giammatteo moved to West Hartford in 2020 with his wife, Genna, and their daughter, Isla.

• The Mohegan Sun is hosting its 11th annual Vets Rock, a heartfelt tribute to our nation’s heroes — active-duty military and veterans — who inspire us with their courage and commitment. It takes place at the casino, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville, on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Connecticut Veterans Affairs and the Middletown Council of Veterans to host a Veterans Day Ceremony at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at the Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery, 317 Bow Lane, Middletown.

• Connecticut will host the 10th Annual CT Veterans Day Race in Coventry on Nov. 8, featuring a 4-mile run, 3-mile walk, and 3-mile ruck.

• Vets Are Free At the New England Air Museum near Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks. It is offering free admission for veterans and active military members on Veterans Day.

For other Veterans Day events throughout Connecticut, click on this link.

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