Skip to content Skip to main navigation Skip to footer

Benton County to host Veterans Day recognition ceremony

November 6, 2025 in News

Color guard at the County's 2023 Veterans Day recognition ceremony

Benton County will honor local veterans during a Veterans Day Recognition Ceremony on Monday, Nov. 10, at the Kalapuya Building in Corvallis. The event will include the reading of a Veterans Day proclamation during the Board of Commissioners meeting followed by remarks by County leaders and special guests honoring veterans for their service and sacrifice.

Benton County will also receive two national awards from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR):

  • County Administrator Rachel McEneny will receive the Patriot Award for her outstanding support of a recently deployed employee who serves in the Oregon National Guard.
  • Board Chair Nancy Wyse will accept the Seven Seals Award on behalf of Benton County, recognizing the County’s strong commitment to service members and their families.

Event Details

When: 9 – 9:30 a.m. – Board of Commissioners Meeting, Proclamation Reading, Award Presentation

Where: Kalapuya Building, 4500 SW Research Way, Corvallis

Who:

  • Benton County Board of Commissioners
  • COL Paul Dyer, Commander, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon National Guard
  • Mark Lapinskas, Benton County Lead Veterans Service Officer
  • Cecil Owens, ESGR State Chair
  • Kenzie Singiser, OSU Music Program, National Anthem

Benton County has a history of supporting military veterans and families, including many who are part of the County’s workforce. The Board of Commissioners continues this tradition each year by recognizing Veterans Day and Military Appreciation Month in Benton County.

“From the support I received from our Finance Department, Human Resources, and County Commissioners and Administrator before I left, to the send-off my coworkers organized, I always felt cared for,” said Cory Grogan, Benton County Public Information Officer and Oregon National Guard member who returned in September from a year-long deployment in Kosovo. “Knowing my job was secure while I was away allowed me to focus fully on my mission and serve more effectively. Benton County truly shows what it means to value service and stand behind those who serve.”

In 2023, the County hosted a Veterans Day gathering and proclamation reading at the Kalapuya Building to honor employees who served in the Armed Forces. Watch the video from that event here: Veterans Day 2023 — Benton County, Oregon.

###

Benton County is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to our programs, services, activities, hiring and employment practices. This document is available in alternative formats and languages upon request. Please contact the Public Information Office at 541-766-6800 or pioinfo@bentoncountyor.gov.

Back to top