A retired colonel who served in the U.S. Army for 30 years will be the keynote speaker at the annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Nov. 11.
It is planned for 1 p.m. at the PSU Veterans Memorial, 1909 S. Rouse Ave., and is open to the public.
Local sixth graders from Pittsburg Community Middle School and fifth and sixth graders from St. Mary’s Colgan will attend as a civics lesson.
In addition to the keynote address, Pitt State President Thomas Newsom and Vice President Kathleen Flannery will offer remarks, and veterans for whom pavers have been installed will be recognized. The St. Mary's Colgan Choir and the Pittsburg State University Pride of the Plains Marching Band will perform patriotic musical selections.
ROTC cadets will play a role in the ceremony, and a music major will perform Taps.
In the event of rain or inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved indoors to the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts, 1711 S. Homer, a block west of the Veterans Memorial.
About the speaker
(Ret.) Col. Christopher D. Croft, Sr., served for 30 years in the U. S. Army, retiring as a colonel on Feb. 1, 2018, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
He was deployed to Iraq twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom: first, during the invasion in 2003-2004, and again during the Surge in 2007-2008, when he commanded Task Force 106 of 1,440 National Guard soldiers from across the U.S. He attended Columbia University as a U.S. Army War College Fellow from 2012-2013.
He served as the U.S. Army's ambassador to New York City and graduated from the School of Advanced Military Studies and the Command General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, where received his master's in Operational Art of War (Strategy).
He earned the Pathfinder, Airborne, Air Assault, and Combat Action badges, the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star (2 awards), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (5 awards), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
He finished his career as the executive director of the Army's Leadership Center.
After retirement, he continued his public service in District 8 of the Kansas State House of Representatives, serving on numerous committees including Veteran and Military Affairs and co-authoring a bill to create a soldier’s home in Northeast Kansas.
He and his wife, Connie, have two children and six grandchildren.