Veterans Day service at courthouse Nov. 11

The guest speaker will be Major General James “Ike” Pyland, Assistant Adjutant General, Mississippi Army National Guard.

The Veterans Day ceremony will be held on Tuesday, November 11, at 11 a.m. on the front lawn of the Copiah County Courthouse. The guest speaker will be Major General James “Ike” Pyland, Assistant Adjutant General, Mississippi Army National Guard.

General Pylant began his military career in 1966 when he enlisted in the Mississippi Army National Guard’s 890th Engineer Battalion. In 1975 he entered Officer Candidate School and received a commission as a second lieutenant in May 1975. Throughout his 41-year career he served in numerous command and staff positions while rising through the ranks to become a Major General on December 9, 2006.

General Pylant has a long list of medals and awards including the Meritorious Service Medal (with four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal, the Mississippi Magnolia Cross with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, and many others.

In January 2004 General Pylant was appointed Assistant Adjutant General, Mississippi Army National Guard. In this position he assists the Adjutant General in mission performance, to include a trained and ready Mississippi Army National Guard prepared to support the national military strategy.

The Chamber of Commerce and the Veterans Affairs Office encourages everyone to attend the ceremony on Tuesday to remember and honor our veterans.