In celebration of its 10-year anniversary, members of the Lincoln County Military Museum plan to honor veterans from past and current wars with a ceremony at the Lincoln County Civic Center this Veteran’s Day, Monday, Nov. 11.

Veterans from recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are especially encouraged to convene with other vets this year for the Veteran’s Day celebration, say museum board members.

“It’s a great opportunity for a younger group of veterans to share their stories with older generations. Many service members have family members, parents, grandparents and aunts and uncles that have served in previous wars,” said board member Jack Rutland.

The event will also commemorate the 10th-year anniversary of the Military Memorial Museum, located on Whitworth Avenue in downtown Brookhaven.

In 10 years’ time, the museum has expanded, and the museum board has participated in fundraisers for the museum and for the local veterans’ community.

“This will be a very special event,” said Rutland. “Our board is proud of all the work that has gone into the museum. We have seen substantial growth in the last 10 years, and we look forward to future growth.”

State Sen. Sally Doty, from Brookhaven, was on hand at the museum Tuesday afternoon to talk about the upcoming event.

“The key theme running throughout the event will be recognition of our veterans,” said Doty, who plans to be in attendance for the Veterans Day event.

At the military museum, there are an extensive collection of newspaper clippings and photographs of local service members. Some of these items, photos and other bits of memorabilia will be put on display at the civic center on Veterans Day. Other displays will include larger scale items, according to Board Chairman Chad Smith.

“We are going to have an M20 light armored tank at the center and other vintage military vehicles,” Smith elaborated.

Knives handed out and stamped with the Japanese emperor’s stamp to Japanese soldiers will be on display, as will items from Nazi Germany and other artifacts from every major war since the Civil War.

“Lincoln County and Brookhaven have had a very significant history of men and women that have served in the armed forces,” Smith said.

“Veterans have many similarities and it sometimes helps to share these experiences with one another,” Smith added.

In other museum-related activity, the board recently announced their desire to move an F38 Sabre jet, currently on display in Hazlehurst, to a grassy area just outside the museum, which is located in the old train depot.

Members of the military board, and veterans from the area presented their intent to do so at the Oct. 15 Brookhaven board of aldermen’s meeting, and city officials approved unanimously. The board now awaits approval from the Pentagon and state officials regarding the move.

The Veterans Day ceremony will begin at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 11 and continue until 6:30 p.m. The event is open to the public, and refreshments will be provided.

All veterans, past and present, are encouraged to attend the event, as are all other community members, say members of the museum board.