In honor of those who have served in the military, Gannon will hold a “Veterans Day Salute” from 2-3 p.m. today in the Yehl Alumni Room. The afternoon will feature a guest speaker, an appearance by the Pride of PA ROTC Color Guard and a three-round volley salute from the American Legion, Millcreek Post 773.

Heading up the event is retired Lt. Col. Ron Swift who is Gannon’s financial aid and enrollment counselor for veteran students.

“It’s very exciting,” Swift said, “and I’m hoping the event is well attended by students as well as faculty who wish to attend.”

For the past two years, Gannon held the salute in front of the Erie County Courthouse on West Sixth Street. Swift said it was moved indoors for a number of reasons.

“Mainly, we moved it inside because of numbers,” Swift mentioned. “We had a lot of attendees, I believe somewhere around 60 our first year, and we needed a larger space. The ballroom was the ideal choice for this reason, as well as the fact that it is easier for people of all ages to be comfortable during the ceremony.”

Lt. Gen. James Dubik will act as the afternoon’s guest speaker. Dubik graduated from Gannon in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and earned his master’s at Johns Hopkins University in 1981. A published author, he currently serves as president and CEO of Dubik Associates, a consulting firm formed in 2008, and as a senior fellow at the Institute of Land Warfare and the Institute for the Study of War.

“We are very honored to be hosting Lt. Gen. Dubik at this event,” Swift said. “He is the highest-ranking Gannon graduate in the military, and he has a wealth of knowledge on a variety of topics.”

The ceremony will also include a Fallen Warriors Ceremony honoring the six Gannon graduates who have fallen or gone missing during their deployments. Afterward, a three-round volley salute will be performed by American Legion, Millcreek Post 773. Refreshments will be served at the event’s conclusion.