The public is invited to a Veterans Day Ceremony on Wednesday, November 11, 2009, at the Gwinnett Fallen Heroes Memorial in Lawrenceville at 11:00am to thank the men and women who have served honorably in the military, during wartime or peacetime, and to memorialize the fallen heroes who have sacrificed their lives to protect our nation.

Board Chairman Charles Bannister and County Administrator Glenn Stephens will lead this year's ceremony. Honor guard units from the Gwinnett County Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Corrections, and Sheriff's Departments and the Lawrenceville Police Department will also take part in the event. The keynote address will be given by Col. Aubrey Garner, Chief of Operations for the Third Army, based at Fort McPherson.

Two names will be added to the memorial under the Global War on Terrorism heading –1st Sgt. John David Blair and Staff Sgt. Alex French IV. Blair and French were both assigned to the Army National Guard unit in Lawrenceville and were sheriff's deputies in their respective counties, Gordon and Bibb. Blair was the gunner on an armored vehicle that was attacked by a rocket-propelled grenade in Mado Zayi, Afghanistan, which resulted in his death on June 20. Blair was credited for saving a fellow soldier's life during the attack. French was killed on September 30 in Kwhost, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised-explosive device, or IED.

The Veterans Day Ceremony will be televised at 7:30pm on November 11 on TVgwinnett, channel 23 or 25 depending on the cable provider. TVgwinnett programming is also available streaming and on demand at www.tvgwinnett.com, where viewers will also find a program guide.

The Gwinnett Fallen Heroes Memorial was dedicated in 2003 as a way to remember and honor Gwinnett citizens who have died in the line of duty while serving this county and country.

The Fallen Heroes Memorial is located on the grounds of the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville. Visit www.gwinnettfallenheroes.com for additional information about the memorial.