Veterans from different wars, battles and backgrounds will gather at a memorial to honor the each other and other veterans on Veterans Day in Brazos Valley Wednesday.
The ceremony will feature Michael Beggs, Class of 1968, former cadet, yell leader and Ross Volunteer, as the main speaker. The event, hosted by the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial Board, will include a roll call of those on the honor wall, a wall featuring the names of veterans in the Bryan-College Station area, a performance of the “Star Spangled Banner” and of “Texas our Texas,” a special service medley by the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, a rifle salute by the Ross Volunteers Firing Squad and a rendition of “Taps.”  
Beggs, a Vietnam War veteran, will deliver the keynote address. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps before sustaining wounds that resulted in his medical retirement.
In the address, Beggs will tell the story of a fellow veteran, now deceased, who was a friend and classmate of his during his tenure at Texas A&M.
“Over a year ago, I was asked by my friend Bill Youngkin, ’69, to be this year’s speaker, and although I was unsure that I was a good choice for the task, I was very gratified and humbled to have been asked,” Beggs said.
Anne Boykin, a member of the Chief Information Officer Committee of the memorial board, said the event this year will celebrate numerous men and women who have served their country.
“This year, we are honoring around 100 veterans at the event,” Boykin said.
Given the setting of the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial and the Lynn Stuart Pathway Military History Trail, Boykin says the event this year will be unique.
“There is no other memorial in the U.S. that honors all U.S. veterans and has a memorial site dedicated to each war the U.S. has fought,” Boykin said. “Each site will have a life-size bronze statue depicting a common soldier from that era. We hope to finish all of the sites by 2026 — the 150th birthday of the U.S.”                                                    
Brian Hilton, who serves as secretary of the Veterans Memorial Board, has helped plan the event each year since joining in 2003.
“It’s a privilege to honor the veterans of the Brazos Valley, not only on Veterans Day, but also by being a part of an amazing board of dedicated volunteers that strive to build a solemn place of remembrance on the 12 acres in College Station Veterans Park and Athletic Complex,” Hilton said.
Boykin said the event is not only for the veterans and their families, but is open to the public as well.
“Anyone who values their freedom should attend out of respect for the brave men and women who have served in our armed forces,” Boykin said.
The Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial Board, together with the cities of Bryan and College Station, will host their annual Veterans Day ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Louis L. Adam Memorial Plaza of Veterans Park and Athletic Complex.