Veterans Day events scheduled a week early

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – With Veterans Day coming up next week, a series of events are scheduled beginning Thursday morning to honor former members of the nation’s military.

At 7:30 a.m., a salute to the military program is scheduled aboard the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum. The keynote presentation will feature Amanda Wirtz, a San Diego resident who is a singer and ex-Navy codebreaker.

Wirtz, an accomplished violinist, was recently crowned Ms. Veteran America 2014. Organizers say that top military officers will attend along with more than 60 active duty military personnel and veterans.

The museum will open at 6:30 a.m., with breakfast set for 6:45 a.m. The program begins at 7:30 a.m.

At Camp Pendleton, the 239th birthday of the Marine Corps will be celebrated with a pageant of the colors representing all the units stationed at the base and music from the 1st Marine Division Band. The 10 a.m. event at the base’s training center will also feature Marines dressed in period-related uniforms narrating significant combat operations throughout the history of the service.

In Chula Vista, former Vietnam Prisoner of War Jim Bedinger will speak at Southwestern College’s Veterans Day Ceremony. The event will also feature music and a presentation of colors by the 82nd Airborne Division Association. The ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m., 900 Otay Lakes Road.

Also on tap is a job fair for veterans at the Valley View Casino Center.

Veterans Day, which will include a parade in downtown San Diego, is Tuesday.