Lt. Col. Matthew L. Stanley, deputy commander of the 5th Operations Group at Minot Air Force Base, will give the address and Samantha Redding, Miss North Dakota USA, will perform the National Anthem for the Memorial Day program on Monday at Rosehill Memorial Park in Minot.

The program will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the original Veterans Section. David Heintzleman of Newburg will serve as master of ceremonies. Others taking part in the program include veterans organizations and auxiliaries, 1st Lt. Danny Watton, a chaplain at Minot AFB, and Steve Veikley of Minot.

Stanley is deputy commander of one of only two B-52H Operations Groups in the Air Force and is responsible for leading B-52H nuclear and conventional operations, deployment tactics, training, standardization and evaluation, intelligence and airfield operations which support both the 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, according to his Air Force biography. The 5th Operations Group consists of over 350 combat-ready professionals and a fleet of 27 B-52 bombers.

Stanley received his commission from the University of Missouri, ROTC Detachment 440 in May 1999. His military career includes combat tours in Operations Enduring Freedom, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Operation Freedom Sentinel. His military positions include serving as Presidential Strike adviser onboard the National Airborne Operations Center, U.S. Strategic Command, and was responsible for advising the president, secretary of defense and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on optimal nuclear strike capabilities during emergency operations, as well as advising the president on force status, launch and strike operations in support of nuclear execution and termination orders.

Eloise Ogden/MDN Flags including of those of the military branches wave beside the memorial carillon bell tower in Rosehill Memorial Park in Minot shown in this photo taken Thursday. The bell tower, at the original Veterans Section, was re-dedicated in 2016 “to God and Country for the dedication and sacrifices of all our men and women during the wars and conflicts of our nation.”

A master navigator, he has more than 2,800 flight hours. Besides the B-52, aircraft he has flown include the T-34, T-1, T-39 and E-4B.

Samantha Redding, Miss North Dakota USA, grew up in Burlington and graduated from Minot State University with a bachelor of science degree in special education.

Many of Redding’s goals as Miss North Dakota USA have been to help all children reach their educational and personal goals. She takes part in a variety of organizations such as the North Dakota Buddy Walk, 2nd Story, Dream Catchers Baseball, Special Olympics of North Dakota and Minot Area Homeless Coalition.

At 8 a.m. on Monday, the Strewing of the Flowers ceremony will be held at the Veterans Memorial Walkway (Eighth Street NW Bridge) in Minot. The ceremony is symbolic and in remembrance of the soldiers and sailors lost at sea.

The Minot American Legion Post 26 and Unit 26 Auxiliary are in charge of this year’s Memorial Day program and Strewing of the Flowers ceremony.

Area programs

planned for

Memorial Day include

DRAKE

A program with a speaker will be held at the Drake City Hall at 10:30 a.m. and is open to everyone. Lunch will follow the cemetery program.

LANSFORD

The Lansford American Legion Kenneth L. Renz Post 279 will conduct their annual Memorial Day services on Monday at 11 a.m. in the Lansford Community Center.

Air Force Maj. Mark J. Johanning will speak. Johanning is the Operations Flight commander with the 5th Civil Engineer Squadron at Minot Air Force Base. Cemetery services will follow, weather permitting. The Lansford Cafe will be open.

RYDER

The L.C. Jensen Post 99 of the American Legion will hold the annual Memorial Day program at 10 a.m. in the Ryder Community Gym. The gym program will be followed by a program at the Memorial Wall in the park. Lunch will be served in the Ryder Senior Citizens building.

SHERWOOD

Bothun-Peterson American Legion Post 213 of Sherwood will hold the 82nd annual observance with Canadian counterparts on Monday. This year also is the 100th anniversary of the American Legion.

The day begins at 10 a.m. with a flag ceremony at the U.S./Canada border.Those attending should be there by 9:45 a.m. for a parking place.

A program follows at 10:45 a.m. in the Sherwood School gymnasium. U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer will be the featured speaker. Allan Magnuson, Post commander, will give the welcome and a Canadian Legionnaire will give the Canadian welcome.

Pastor Norman Paskowsky, Terry Miller, Wayne Artz, Ron Heller, Brian Miller, Kalli Smith, Jarett and Steve Keith, and American and Canadian Legions also are on the program.

There will be a parade down Main Street (weather permitting), a ceremony at the Firemen’s Memorial and services at the cemetery following the program. After the cemetery services, lunch will be served in the school auditorium. Souris River Telephone donated to the lunch and food preparations will be done by the Sherwood American Legion Auxiliary.