The 2023 Veterans Day Lunch is just days away, to be held on Friday, November 10th.  All veterans are invited to have lunch together at 12 noon at the Chattooga County Courthouse.  The lunch is sponsored by VFW Post 6688, United Community Bank, other businesses, and friends.

This is a time to share a meal and memories with friends who served.  No formal program is planned other than recognizing our special guests who served in the Afghanistan War, the Iraq War, and those currently serving.  After the meal, a group photo will be made on the courthouse steps in front of the large US Flag.

Many Chattooga veterans served during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.  Both wars were the result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on The World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon, and the intended attack on the US Capitol. Shortly after 9-11, the United States declared War on Terrorism. The War in Afghanistan called “Operation Enduring Freedom” sought to wipe out the Taliban and Al-Qaeda terrorist groups.  Ossama Bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda and believed to be the architect of the 9-11 attack, was killed during the war.  The Afghanistan War began in 2001 and ended August 30, 2021.  It is the longest war in the history of the United States, surpassing the length of the Vietnam War (1955-1975) by six months. \

In 2003, the US waged war on two fronts. The Iraq War called “Operation Iraqi Freedom” was planned to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction and end the rule of Saddam Hussein who supported the terrorist group Al-Qaeda.  Although no weapons of mass destruction were discovered, Hussein was overthrown, captured, tried, and executed in December of 2006.  The Iraq War lasted from March 20, 2003 to December 15, 2011: 8 years, 8 months, and 26 days.

We look forward to having a large crowd of veterans on November 10th. It is our way of saying, “Thank you for your service to our country.”

For questions, call Odell Anderson at 706-397-2394 or Barbara Reece at 706-862-2657.