By John Harlow
Commander Jim Chavis of the Dillon County Veteran of the Year Organization has announced that US Air Force Chief Master Sergeant (Ret.) Joey L. Williams will be the speaker for the Memorial Day ceremonies planned for 11 a.m. on Monday, May 29th at Dillon’s Veterans Square, located at 401 W. Main Street.

Mr. Joey Williams served in the United States Air Force for 30 years and retired in 2012 as a Chief Master Sergeant. He last served at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. He is a member of the Dillon VFW Post 6091.
Chief Williams holds several associate degrees in healthcare, human resource management, and administration. He graduated magna cum-laude from Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, NC, with two Bachelors of Arts degrees in Accounting and Business Management. In addition, he played football and graduated from Dillon High School in 1981 and is the son of the late Arrie J. and Magnolia T. Williams.

MEMORIAL DAY
CEREMONIES AT
VETERANS SQUARE
MONDAY
11AM MAY 29th
The Dillon County Veteran of the Year Organization (DCVOYO) Commander and US Army Veteran Jim Chavis announces the following Memorial Day schedule:
• Ceremonies begin at 11 a.m. on Monday May 29th at Veteran Square. DCVOYO Commander Jim Chavis will welcome everyone on introduce the program chairman.
• Program Chairman USAF Veteran Lloyd Brown
• Invocation by Rev. Rob Pierce – Senior Pastor of Latta Baptist Church
• National Anthem: Mr. James Crawford and the Master Carolina Chorale
• Raising Flags
• US Flag USAF Veteran Thom Thompson
• SC Flag US Army Veteran Harry Moore
• Post Colors – Dillon High School JROTC
• Pledge of Allegiance by USMC Veteran Ronnie Stone
• Introduction of Speaker USAF (Ret.) Chief Master Sergeant Joey Williams by US Army Veteran Charlie Vance
• Deceased Veteran Roll Call – USAF Veteran Lloyd Brown
• Toll Bell – US Army Veteran Levern Hayes
• Distinguished Deceased Veteran Award – by South Carolina Military Department Veteran Major General James Lockemy
• Placing of Memorial Wreath at the Memorial Wall: US Army Veteran Joe Manning and USMC Veteran Ronnie Stone
• TAPS Played
• Retire Colors – Dillon High School JROTC
• Benediction by Rev. Rob Pierce, Senior Pastor of Latta Baptist Church

We Veterans ask that you please make time to attend this patriotic program at Veterans Square on Memorial Day. It’s a day of remembrance, when America stops momentarily to honor the men and women who went off to war and did not get to come home.
We especially welcome Gold Star family members attending the ceremonies.
A highlight of this Memorial Day program is when two veterans ceremoniously place a memorial wreath in front of the Memorial Wall at Veterans Square and TAPS is played for the 92 men and one woman from Dillon County named on it.
Yes, please come for the patriotic music, and enjoy the holiday gathering with others from our community.
Also however, come to be there to see the wreath placed in front of the Memorial Wall and be thankful for the freedoms we enjoy today because of the sacrifices made by these and others who served or are serving today to defend our American values and protect our democracy.
May God bless our forward deployed troops, and may He continue to bless America.