The Greater Dallas Veterans Foundation hosted a kickoff on Tuesday for the 2025 11th Hour Ceremony and the Greater Dallas Veterans Day Parade.
The Veteran’s Day Parade is scheduled to take place at Fair Park on November 11th at 11 a.m., with the theme for this year’s parade being a “75th Anniversary of the Korean War.”
According to the website, the foundation selected this theme as a reminder of when “American troops stood shoulder to shoulder with United Nations allies to defend liberty.”
Scott Murray kicked off this event by welcoming everyone in attendance and paying his respect to those who have served in the U.S. Military.
“It’s really above and beyond what they continue to do day in and day out, protecting us all from points all over the entire planet, all over the world. Many of them, unfortunately, never return home, but forever we’ll keep them in our thoughts and prayers for all they do to keep us safe each and every day.”
Murray then welcomed Albert Zapata, chairman of the Greater Dallas Veterans Foundation, to the stand, where he voiced his appreciation for the veterans and current members of the military who have helped maintain peace in the Korean Demilitarized Zone.
Zapata also said the Greater Dallas Veterans Foundation is always looking for ways to improve recruiting numbers in the military, explaining that the goal is to “bring in over 2,000 young ROTC cadets from our high schools in the area.”
Command Sergeant Major Lonnie Clark further specified these numbers. He said the goal is to recruit closer to 1,200 students from Dallas ISD this year, adding that America “needs to stand for patriotism” moving forward.
“We’re proud of them. It’s a chance for them to see a little bit about respect for America, a little bit about what it means to wear a uniform, and have people stand in front of you and show respect, and I know they leave there with a deeper meaning.”
Zapata proceeded to welcome the chairman of the Greater Dallas Veterans Foundation Parade, Pat Teipel, to the front.
Teipel thanked all those in attendance and called the Veteran’s Day Parade a chance to “say thank you to the 21,800,000 living veterans, to the 1,430,290 wartime wounded, and for the 1,190,000 wartime dead.”
“Continuing this annual tradition is more than just ceremonial. It’s a reminder of the resilience, bravery, and unity that define our veterans. As we honor those who came before us, let us also rise to meet our own challenges with the same courage and determination and to set a strong example for the generations to come.”