On Tuesday, May 2, at the Village Board meeting, the Village of Vernon Hills announced those who are being recognized for their service in the U.S. Armed Forces as part of the Vernon Hills Honors Military Banner Program. These banners will be displayed along the town's Fourth of July Parade route on Deerpath and Sullivan drives from May through November. This ceremony included those previously recognized in 2022 along with the new Class of 2023.

The inaugural Class of 2022 paid homage primarily to members of Vernon American Legion Post 1247, including the post commander, his daughter who is currently serving on active duty, along with several other young residents the post previously saluted as part of their sendoff to basic training. Other recipients of a banner included a former trustee, a former police officer and a former airline pilot, who are all members of Post 1247.

Within the Class of 2023 we are honoring a more diverse group of residents who in many cases have not only served, but served in hostile environments and borne the brunt of battle. Included in the Class of 2023 is another former trustee who served in the Navy as a seaman during World War II and has since passed; an octogenarian who served in the Army, several veterans of the Vietnam War and an Iraq War veteran. These individuals, along with a former Village employee, police officer, and recent graduate of Vernon Hills High School and current cadet at West Point, along with several other of your neighbors, make up the Class of 2023 banner recipients.

Video of the ceremony and the story around it can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9__tMJSSsw.