Valley Forge Military College President Speaks at Philadelphia Vietnam Memorial Ceremony

PHILADELPHIA, May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- John C. Church Jr, the first president of the Valley Forge Military College and a Marine veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq, will deliver remarks at the annual Memorial Day Ceremony at 12:30 p.m. at the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Front and Spruce Streets.

Lt. Col. Church is a Marine Reservist who serves as the Operations Officer for the 4th Civil Affairs Group in Washington, DC.  Before assuming the presidency of the college he coordinated civil-military operations for the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, and also commanded a combined joint Civil Affairs unit in Ar Ramadi, Iraq.

A graduate of the US Naval Academy, Lt. Col Church earned a M.A. degree from the U.S. Naval War College and an M.A Degree from American University.  Among his teaching assignments after leaving active duty were the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, the Naval War College and George Mason University.  He is a doctoral student at Temple University.

The starting time of the May 30 ceremony was changed last year from noon to 12:30 p.m. to accommodate nearby ceremonies.  For more information, please call the Memorial at 215-576-1216 or visit the web site at www.pvvm.org.

SOURCE Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial