Support Our Troops!
Attend the Parade and Participate in the Armed Forces 5K Run/Walk
It is at this time each year that I am extremely proud to live in the City of Torrance. Torrance is one of the few cities nationwide sanctioned by the Department of Defense to honor our Armed Forces through an Annual Armed Forces Day Parade and Celebration. Hometown Hero Banners now line the streets surrounding Civic Center, which indicate that the nation’s longest running military parade sponsored by any city is quickly approaching. 2017 marks the 58th Annual City of Armed Forces Day Celebration, a continuation of Torrance’s longest-standing tradition of celebrating the legacy and sacrifices of the United States Armed Forces.
General Ellen M. Pawlikowski, Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Colorado will be the parade Grand Marshall. She is nationally recognized for her leadership in the U.S. science and technology community. General Pawlikowski is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a member of the National Academy of Engineers.
Please join me and thousands of others as we pay tribute to our troops by attending the Armed Forces Day Parade which begins at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 20th.
Armed Forces 5K
UCLA Health and the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce are proud to present the Second Annual Armed Forces 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, May 20th. This 5K run/walk provides an opportunity for the community to run alongside troops from all five branches of the military who will be participating in the Freedom Run. The ‘Freedom Run’ is a special segment of the Armed Forces Day 5K Run/Walk in which active duty service men and women run in formation in PT gear and call out cadence. The Military units that participate in the race represent ‘freedom,’ which exists in America because of the sacrifices of our service members, for whom we are incredibly grateful.
This 8:00 a.m. event will be kicked off by welcomes from General Ellen M. Pawlikowski and City of Torrance Mayor Patrick J. Furey. Additionally, three veterans will be recognized. They include Isamu Ralph Kaneshiro, Military Intelligence Service, Noboru Don Seki, 442nd Regimental Combat Team and Fernando Sosa, 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The lead vehicle will be provided by the Air Force and the race will formally begin with the firing of a canon, provided by the Army. The winner of the Women’s Division and the Men’s Division will be invited to ride in the Armed Forces Parade that afternoon.
Sponsors of this event include Providence Little Company of Mary, City of Torrance and Pelican Products. Also involved in partnership with the Armed Forces 5K is DJ Ozzie and the Go For Broke National Education Center.
If you are interested in participating in the Armed Forces 5K Run/Walk, please visit villagerunner.com