Alpharetta Rotary To Host Virtual Memorial Day Tribute On Monday

ALPHARETTA, GA — The City of Alpharetta and the Rotary Club of Alpharetta will host a Virtual Memorial Day Tribute at 9 a.m. on Monday. The ceremony will be live-streamed, and the public is invited to tune into the program virtually. The live stream will begin at 8:30 a.m.

“As our nation emerges from a global pandemic, this Memorial Day is a wonderful opportunity for Americans to honor the men and women who sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we all enjoy," Mayor Jim Gilvin said. "All of the lives lost in service to our great nation serve as powerful reminders that freedom is not free. And on this day, it is only fitting that we come together to demonstrate our love and gratitude for those who gave their lives so we may live in peace.”

The program will begin at 9 a.m. with an invocation followed by the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance. Next, there will be a showing of “A View From Home” video. Former U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Jeff Davis will give the keynote address. The program will close out with a playing of TAPs by Curtis Malcom on the violin.

Davis served for 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. He hails from Alpharetta, graduated from Milton High School, the University of Georgia, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1994.

Davis was designated a naval aviator in 1998 and served in several CH-53 squadrons as the weapon and tactics instructor, operations officer, maintenance officer and commanding officer of HMH-463. During his operational tours, he deployed twice across the Asia-Pacific supporting a myriad of humanitarian operations and joint exercises and deployed twice to Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and 2006-2007.

His staff tours include instructor at Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), heavy lift requirements officer in marine aviation at the Pentagon, the joint plans division chief for Joint Headquarters National Capitol Region, and the plans chief for Marine Corps National Capital Region Command.

Davis is a graduate of the weapons and tactics instructor course and holds a master of science in national security strategy from the National War College. He retired from active duty in 2018, returned home to Alpharetta, and is currently the director, field operations at DataScan.

After the program concludes, the full virtual Memorial Day tribute video will be available on the City of Alpharetta’s YouTube channel.

Co-Chair of this event William Perkins said, “On Memorial Day we honor those who sacrificed for our country. We salute the fallen and remember their lives. It is because of them that we have the freedoms we cherish.”