Veterans Day

Join Rockville’s Mayor and Council at this annual ceremony in honor of the men and women who served in the nation’s armed forces. American Legion Post 86 will lead the wreath laying ceremony and their Honor Guard will present a twenty-one gun salute. A reception will follow at American Legion Post 86 located at 2013 Veirs Mill Road. Parking is available at Sandy Spring Bank located at Fleet St. and Rt. 355.

Event Date

Sunday, November 11, 2018 at 11 a.m.
Veterans Park, intersection of Rt. 28 and Rt. 355

2018 Guest Speaker
Michele Marsden, Sergeant Major, U.S. Army (Ret.)  

Michele Marsden enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps in 1975 in the delayed-entry program, entering active duty in January 1976. 

She completed basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and advanced individual training at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. Her first duty assignment was to Fort Ord, California, followed by a two-year tour in the U.S. Army Garrison in South Korea.

After receiving an honorable discharge after five years of active duty, she enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve 416th Engineer Command near Chicago for a one-year enlistment, which turned into 17 years of reserve service. During that time, she earned the rank of sergeant major at age 38, which, she said “I never thought I would see.”  

“Another first for me, was making first sergeant in a construction battalion line company, which I don’t think had ever happened before (for a woman),” she said.  

Marsden retired from the reserves in 1997.

Since then, she was worked as a professional trainer, first in private industry and now in the federal government as a training specialist with the Heath Resources and Services Administration in Rockville.

“I take being a veteran very seriously, and I am proud of my service,” Marsden said. “I challenged stereotypes and worked hard for what I earned. I am a proud veteran.”

Become a Guest Speaker

If you are interested in being a guest speaker at future Veterans Day Ceremonies, please contact Amanda Knox at aknox@rockvillemd.gov, or at 240-314-8620.