ATHENS – Flag Day is officially celebrated Saturday but Athens State is hosting a special celebration Friday.
At noon, the university’s annual Flag Day ceremony will take place in the Sandridge Student Center Ballroom. The event will also recognized the nation’s Armed Forces with Navy veteran and former Browns Ferry Plant manager Thomas Veitch as guest speaker.
The Limestone County Veterans Honor Guard will present the colors, and Jerry Crabtree will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and recognize veterans. Music will be provided by the Athens State Community Band and the Athens State Community Choir.
The ceremony is free and open to the public. A complimentary lunch will follow.
Veitch, who hails from Ohio, entered the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program in 1976 and reported to USS Enterprise, a nuclear powered aircraft carrier. He spent four years on-board the Enterprise and was honorably discharged as the Leading Petty Officer of Reactor Mechanical 22 Division.
Following discharge, Veitch spent more than 20 years as a licensed operator at the Perry (Ohio) Nuclear Power Plant, before achieving the position of shift manager. He also helped start the First Energy Nuclear Fleet as the operations program manager.
Following the completion of a rotation at the industry oversight organization, Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, Thomas filled roles as regulatory compliance manager and senior manager of chemistry and environmental at the Clinton (Ill.) Power Station; Perry Nuclear Power Plant; and the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in Athens.
