Northwestern Michigan College will host the 47th annual Mariners Memorial Service Thursday and Veterans Day ceremonies Friday, with both events open to the public.

The Mariners Memorial Service will take place at noon Thursday at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy (GLMA). The service, which honors mariners who have perished on the Great Lakes and oceans, is sponsored by the Student Propeller Club, Port 150 of GLMA.

NMC's annual Veterans Day ceremonies will begin at 8am Friday. The ceremony schedule is as follows:

8-9am: Free breakfast for NMC veterans in the Nelson Innovation Center
9:05am: Faculty, staff, students, and community members line sidewalks between Innovation Center and Tanis building for Walk of Honor
9:10am: Veterans Walk of Honor to flagpoles
Welcome remarks
Flag-raising ceremony presented by the VFW, Post 2780 Honor Guard
Star Spangled Banner performed by the Traverse City Central Marching Band
Three Volleys/Taps and a rifle salute in honor of the fallen will be performed
Remarks & closing comments from Major General Michael Lehnert, USMC (ret.).

The three-volley salute will commence shortly after the flag is raised, between 9 and 10am. The three-volley salute, accompanied by the playing of Taps, is an important ceremony for veterans as they honor all those who came before them, served alongside them, and gave their lives in the line of duty. These are blank rounds (gun powder in a copper casing) with no actual bullet fired.