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Celebrate Veterans Day 2007
East Tennessee Military Affairs Council
Awards and Recognition Luncheon
12:30pm, Friday, November 9th
The Foundry on the Fair Site - Knoxville
Featured Service
United States Army
Guest Speaker
Colonel Thomas D. Vail
CHIEF OF STAFF
101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)
Fort Campbell, Kentucky
Colonel Thomas D. Vail was commissioned in the Infantry upon graduation from Columbus College in 1982, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree. His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced courses, the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College.
COL Vail’s previous troop assignments include mechanized platoon leader and company executive officer in 3rd Infantry Division in Schweinfurt, Germany; consecutive company commands in the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks; Regimental Training Officer, 75th Ranger Regiment; Battalion S3 and Division G5 in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum; Battalion Commander, 3d Bn, 502d Infantry Regiment, and Brigade Commander, 506th Regimental Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
Other assignments include G3 and Chief of Staff of the 25th Infantry Division, Special Assistant to the USARPAC Commander and Director of Infantry Futures, United States Infantry Center. He is currently the Chief of Staff, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and Fort Campbell. Combat assignments include deployments to Somalia during Operation Continue Hope as the Battalion S3, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry and then Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy as the J5, then J35 for Combined Joint Task Force 190.
In 2006, he commanded the 506th RCT in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in East Baghdad. COL Vail’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Defense Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with Seven Oak Leaf Clusters, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist Badge and the Air Assault Badge. COL Vail is married and They have three children.
Hosted by
The East Tennessee Military Affairs Council
Knoxville Chamber of Commerce
Blount Partnership
Please make reservations by Monday, November 6th
For information call:
Jack Davis: 675-0464 rbjldavis@charter.net
Joe Mazzola: 558-3465 legionnairejoe@comcast.net
Susan Ward: 637-4550 sward@knoxvillechamber.com
Download the Flyer and reservation form
Since 1983, the Knoxville community has gathered to honor all who have served their country at an annual Veteran’s Day Luncheon. The Greater Knoxville Committee for America, with the General Bruce K. Holloway Chapter of the Air Force Association as the lead organization, sponsored the luncheon for the first 13 years. Beginning in 1996, the East Tennessee Military Affairs Council (ETMAC) assumed sponsorship and began the practice of having a “featured service” each year, that rotates the guest speaker among the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. The Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership and Blount Partnership are co-sponsors of the luncheon. The event is preceded by a Veteran’s Day Parade that is sponsored by American Legion Post No. 2.
In addition to saluting our veterans, ETMAC also recognizes outstanding enlisted personnel from area units at the luncheon, and presents the Colonel Jack K. Westbrook ROTC scholarships to deserving cadets from the University of Tennessee Army and Air Force ROTC units. The East Tennessee Military Affairs Council established the scholarship in 1996 to honor of a dedicated public servant, Colonel Jack Westbrook, USAF, retired. The recipients are judged on their commitment to the values exhibited by Colonel Westbrook – namely, service to community, and service to country.
The luncheon is open to everyone. For information, contact the Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership at (865) 246-2646.
GUEST SPEAKERS
1983
Lt. Gen. John P. Flynn, USAF (now deceased)
Inspector General, USAF
Senior American POW in Vietnam
1984
Maj. Gen. William J. Mall, USAF
Commander, 23rd Air Force, Military Airlift Command
(General Mall had just returned from Grenada action)
1985
General John T. Chain Jr., USAF
Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers, Europe
1986
General Charles L. Donnelly, USAF
CINC, United States Air Forces Europe
1987
Lt. Gen. Robert D. Springer, USAF
Vice CINC, Military Airlift Command
1988
Lt. Gen. Spence M. “Sam” Armstrong, USAF
Vice CINC, Air Force Systems Command
1989
Maj. Gen. John B. Conaway, USAF (ANG)
Vice CINC, National Guard
(Former Director, Air National Guard)
1990
Maj. Gen. John M. Nowak, USAF
Deputy Chief of Staff, Military Airlift Command
1991
Chief Master Sergeant Richard A. “Rick” Moon, USAF (ANG)
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Director, Air National Guard
1992
Lt. Gen. Henry Vicellio, Jr., USAF
Director, Joint Staff, JCS
1993
General Ronald R. Fogelman, USAF
CINC, US Transportation Command and USAF Air Mobility Command
(later named USAF Chief of Staff)
1994
General Dennis J. Reimer, USA
Chief of Staff, US Army Forces Command
(later named Army Chief of Staff)
1995
Admiral Jeremy M. Boorda, USN (now deceased)
Chief of Naval Operations
1996
Vice Admiral Donald D. Engen, USN, (Ret.) (now deceased)
Director, Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC
1997
Lt. Gen. Carol A. Mutter, USMC
Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower & Reserve Affairs
HQ USMC
1998
General Joseph W. Ralston, USAF
Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
1999
General Peter J.Schoomaker, USA
CINC, US Special Operations Command
2000
Lt. Gen. Fred McCorkle, USMC
Deputy Chief of Staff for Aviation
HQ USMC
2001
Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr.
Second District, Tennessee
(Note: Rear Admiral Gerald Hoewing, USN, was scheduled, but canceled just prior to the event)
2002
Lt. Gen. John D. Hopper, Jr., USAF
Vice Commander, Air Education and Training Command
2003
Command Sergeant Major James D. Pippin, USA
278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Knoxville
2004
Maj. Gen. Jerry D. Humble, USMC (Ret)
Director, Tennessee Office of Homeland Security
2005
Captain Rosemary Bryant Mariner, United States Navy, Retired
Captain Mariner is a Visiting Fellow with the Center for the Study of War and Society and Lecturer in History Department at the University of Tennessee Knoxville
2006
Lt. Gen. C. Robert Kehler, USAF
Deputy Commander
US Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska
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