Albemarle County Supervisors marks Veterans Day 

Today is the 85th anniversary of Veterans Day and the Albemarle Board of Supervisors marked the occasion earlier this month.

“Throughout our nation’s history, the United States of America has called on its citizens in uniform to serve and to protect our national security,” said Donna Price, the chair of the Albemarle Board of Supervisors and herself a veteran and is a retired U.S. Navy Captain in the Judge Advocate Generals. 

Price read from a proclamation recognizing the continued celebration of the national holiday.

“On this day and every day, we remember the millions of patriots who have served and sacrificed for the betterment of our nation,” Price said. 

There are many veterans serving in Albemarle County government and in Albemarle County Public Schools and the proclamation is intended to salute their contributions now and in the past. 

“We, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, do hereby recognize November 11, 2023 as Veterans Day and celebrate all who have served our country around the world,” Price said. 

Deputy County Executive Trevor Henry is also a retired Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy. 

“In local government and in schools we believe we have well over 200 employees that in a prior life raised their right hand to support and defend our Constitution,” Henry said. “And when there period of service ended via either retirement or an obligation, they also found their way to our organization.”

Three of those employees appeared before the Board to tell a bit of their stories and what they do now. 

Sergeant Dale Shoop served in the U.S. Army from 1983 to 1986 with some of that time in the demilitarized zone in Korea. He now works in Community Development as an inspector.

“Heartfelt acknowledgment to my great grandfather, my grandfather, and my uncle for serving in the Royal Air Force, the Royal Army, and Royal Navy in Great Brain and England,” Shoop said. “Thank you to my father who served in the United States Army and my son who served in the United States Army and continues to serve in the intelligence sector.” 

Sergeant Roger Snodgrass served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 2002 to 2007 before joining the U.S. Army where he served under active duty through 2014. 

“Sergeant Snodgrass joined Albemarle County as a police officer in 2014 and currently holds the rank of sergeant on evening shift patrol,” Henry said. 

Snodgrass thanked the county for being an organization that’s friendly to veterans. 

“As an individual who has multiple friends and family members in other local government, I do have the opportunity to say that this is a high performance organization,” Snodgrass said. “With our Board of Supervisors, our county executive’s office, and our command staff with Albemarle County police department, they allow us to be able to provide outstanding customer services, day in, day out.”

Reynaldo Avali served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a bridge crew member with the 299th Engineering Division beginning in 1995 with multiple deployments to Iraq.

 “During the first deployment to Iraq, they placed two bridges over the Euphrates River for combat operations,” Henry said. “The second time his unit was responsible for maintaining the bridges, training Iraqi engineers, and responsible for removing six bridges for retrograde operations.” 

During that time, Avali has also worked in building services for Albemarle County Public Schools where he continues to serve.

Supervisor Bea LaPisto Kirtley thanked all of the veterans assembled in Lane Auditorium for their service. 

“It is something that you all do for us to keep our democracy safe, to keep all of us safe,” LaPisto Kirley said. “It is a solemn oath that you take to protect all of us and please be aware that all of us appreciate it. I think all of America really appreciates your service.”

Supervisor Ned Gallaway expressed his appreciation as well and said he recently went back to his hometown to clear out his parents’ home.

“And we found my dad’s formal dress uniform which  I had never seen in my life,” Gallaway said. “My brother-in-law who also served was navigating me around the different patches and such telling me, informing me what those were. And then we also found in a trunk a bunch of letters that my grandfather sent my grandmother during the war, but we found the official communication that he was [missing in action]. He was a prisoner of war and he thankfully was able to return at the end of World War II and he became a police officer.” 

Supervisor Diantha McKeel took the opportunity to share some resources that are available through Region 10 to veterans. Take a look here if you would like more information. 

“Region 10 currently has a partnership with Virginia Lock and Talk with resources available for all individuals including veterans to receive medical lock boxes and bags as well as trigger locks for firearms to assist individuals and families in locking up lethal means,” McKeel said. “Virginia Veterans Service Foundation also has a homeless veterans’ fund and has been able to provide one-time assistance to homeless veterans to support rent, utility, and rental deposits.”   

McKeel said Region 10 has also recently hired a peer support specialist to specifically assist veterans. 

Supervisor Ann Mallek used her time to mention the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2044 in Earlysville and American Legion Post 74 in Shadwell.

“These organizations take care of their own,” Mallek said. “They raised funds most recently to buy a new medical transport van to help their fellows get to remote medical services.”

Those services are currently a one-way 90-mile drive to south of Richmond. Mallek called for a veterans clinic to be located closer to home, particularly with the potential for expansion at Rivanna Station. 

Mallek also put in a plug for an organization called Living Free Together which also provides support to veterans and military families.  

Price thanked Mallek for bringing up the role that families play and said that she was grateful for support from hers during her career. 

“Military service is frequently a family affair,” Price said. “From the Civil War through World War One, World War Two, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, to today…My father, a 97-year-old World War II Navy Combat vet. My son, a major in the Marine Corps. Myself with my own service. You’ll find that people who work with or serve the county often have other family members who similarly provide public service.” 

Albemarle County also held a ceremony at 11 a.m. to mark Veterans Day.  

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