WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Three local military veterans, all from different eras of combat, will share their thoughts on sacrifice with award-winning journalist Ed Fillmer as part of the 17th annual “A Musical Salute to Veterans.”
Missouri State University-West Plains’ University/Community Programs (U/CP) Department will present the free program at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, in the West Plains Civic Center arena. In addition, the annual event will once again showcase the musical talent of the West Plains High School Marching Band and Jazz Band.
Jack McNevin, who was a Marine stationed in the Pacific Theatre during World War II, and Bill Chritton, a combat Army pilot in Vietnam, will sit down for live, mini-interviews with Fillmer, a documentarian and Springfield journalist whose work has been featured on National Geographic Television, Associated Press Video News and many of the major network and cable news channels.
A third veteran taking part in the event, Roy Smith, is a combat veteran who was a member of the special forces in Afghanistan. All three are from West Plains and will be speaking on what sacrifice means to them in light of their experiences in war. The short interviews will be woven in between the band’s traditional patriotic musical selections, organizers said.
“I had the honor of calling up each of these three men and asking them if they would openly share their perspectives with our audience,” said Jennifer Moore, U/CP theater and events coordinator. “Their stories are very different, and talking to them in advance of this event has reminded me that sacrifice can take many forms. We encourage every community member to ask a veteran to be their guest at this special event.”
The award-winning, 123-member Zizzer Pride Band, under the direction of Rocky Long, Melody Alford and Kevin Botkin, performs over 50 times each school year for parades, band festivals, athletic events, concerts and other community-related events. In May 2016, the Zizzer Pride Band will represent West Plains in a feature performance at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Band members also will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.
The band performed at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 2008 and at the Lincoln Memorial in May 2012 to celebrate the 90th anniversary of its dedication. The jazz band has been selected twice to perform for the Magic Music Days Festival at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
The West Plains band program consists of nine performing ensembles, including the high school’s Zizzer Pride Marching Band, Varsity Concert Band, Junior Varsity Concert Band, jazz band, band techniques class, basketball pep band, middle school advanced band, middle school intermediate band and middle school beginning band.
Members of the Missouri National Guard’s 1138th Military Police Company in West Plains will post the colors for the event, and local resident and military veteran Phill Whitsell will lead those attending in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Also as part of the event, U/CP officials are encouraging community members who use Facebook to post photos of military veterans in their own lives on the U/CP page as a way of honoring them.
For more information about the Veterans Day program, contact the U/CP office, 417-255-7966 For more information about upcoming events sponsored by the U/CP Department, visit the website.