By Patricia A. Douglas
Post 911 Public Affairs Coordinator

Members of American Legion Ryan Winslow Post 911 in Hoover, Ala., will be involved in several activities for Veterans Day 2021.
Post 911 has joined the Krulak Marine Alliance of Alabama and the Marine Corps League, Krulak Detachment to obtain a large flagpole, along with U.S. and POW/MIA flags, which has been installed at Hoover Tactical Firearms. HTF allows each of these organizations to be headquartered in their building for no charge.
A dedication ceremony will be at noon on Nov. 12.
“Hoover Tactical has been so gracious in supporting Post 911 and the Krulak Marines, as well as veterans organizations across the state,” said Post 911 Commander Lynn Thomas. “This is our way of demonstrating our appreciation to HTF for all they have done for us over these many past years.”
Members of Post 911 will help kick off Veterans Week activities on the afternoon of Nov. 7 during the city’s Salute to Veterans at the Hoover Library Theater.
The festivities begin with the Veteran Program, which will honor several veterans who have contributed to the Hoover community.
Following the program, the Alabama Youth Symphony will perform. There will be a reception before a Lowering of the Colors Ceremony at the library flagpole.
The library will also have a POW/MIA Table display and craft kits available to veterans.
Chair of the Hoover Veterans Committee is Paul Pocopanni, who is also a member of Post 911.
Another Veterans Day event that American Legion members will be involved in is actually the oldest Veterans Day celebration in the United States - a parade in the streets of Birmingham, Ala.
In 1947, a World War II veteran from Birmingham named Raymond Weeks had an idea to expand Armistice Day, which celebrated the end of World War I, to celebrate all veterans. He led a delegation to Washington, D.C., to encourage national leaders, including then-Army Chief of Staff Dwight Eisenhower, to create a national holiday to honor all veterans, according to https://nationalveteransday.org. As president, Eisenhower signed legislation establishing Nov. 11 as Veterans Day
Weeks led the first Veterans Day Parade in 1947 and continued to do so until his passing in 1985.
After a virtual event in 2020, the 74th National Veterans Day Parade will march through the streets of Birmingham, beginning at 1:30 p.m.