For Immediate Release Contact: Lora Taylor Communications ...

For Immediate Release Contact: Lora Taylor Communications Manager City of Bonita Springs [email protected] 239-949-6262

Join us for the Memorial Day Service in Bonita Springs Bonita Springs, May 8, 2015- The City of Bonita Springs, Bonita Springs Fire-Rescue District, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Veterans Advisory Committee invite the public to attend a Memorial Day Service on Monday, May 25th. The service will begin at 9:00 a.m. at Riverside Park, located at 10450 Reynolds Street in downtown Bonita. The Key Note Speaker will be Retired Lieutenant General Gary Speer. Gary D. Speer retired from the United States Army with his last assignment as Deputy Commander, United States Army Europe, after 37 years of commissioned service. Throughout his military career he served at progressive levels of command from platoon through combatant command. He has extensive experience in joint, interagency, and multinational operations, as well as focused security cooperation with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Southwest Asia. While a Major, Lieutenant General Speer served on the Army Staff in the Pentagon as the Security Assistance Action Officer for Latin America and Africa. During this period he was the Army’s lead for security assistance to El Salvador and Colombia. As a Colonel, Lieutenant General Speer served with the Department of State as the Director of Operations, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism. Subsequently, he commanded the 3rd Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division (Light) in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Lieutenant General Speer was the Deputy Commander, United States Army South, in Panama from 1996 to 1998. He was SOTHCOM’s lead for multinational cooperation in the Military and Observer Mission in Ecuador and Peru as well as multinational peace keeping and humanitarian assistance exercises in Central and South America and the Caribbean. He served as-Assistant Division Commander, Operations, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York from 1998 to 2000, which included command of the Coalition Joint Task Force – Kuwait (Forward) during January-February 1999, Commanding General, 10th Mountain Division (Rear) and Fort Drum from July 1999 to March 2000. Then, he was assigned as Deputy Commander-in-Chief, United States.

The service includes remarks from Veterans and Officials, musical tributes, Posting of the Colors, 21gun salute, and other traditional commemorations. The service is organized by the all-volunteer City of Bonita Springs Veterans Advisory Committee.

For more information about the Memorial Day Service call City Hall at (239) 949-6262.

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