RICHMOND COUNTY — With Veterans Day approaching, Richmond County is honoring all the brave individuals who have served through a series of events happening across the county.
On Friday at 11 a.m., Dobbins Heights will hold a service at its community center featuring guest speaker Gregory Morgan, a retired master sergeant and communications systems chief. Morgan served 21 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, taking part in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia in 1993 and the 2004 tsunami relief efforts. He later served as the senior spectrum manager for the Marine Corps from 2005 to 2009.
Morgan’s career includes numerous honors, among them the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and Humanitarian Service Medal. After retiring in 2009, he earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in business management and leadership. Today, he continues to support fellow veterans as a VA claims consultant, helping more than 400 veterans secure disability benefits through strategic guidance and evaluations.
Also on Friday at 11 a.m., Richmond County Hospice will hold its 14th annual Salute to Veterans event, featuring guest speaker Michael McCauley, a retired Navy chaplain.
The celebration continues on Saturday as local veteran organizations join together for the county’s annual Veterans Day Observance. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. at the Richmond County Veterans Memorial Park, across from VFW Post 4203 in Rockingham. Retired Navy Cmdr. Joe G. Fitzgerald will serve as guest speaker.
Commander Fitzgerald is a native of Albany, New York, and a 1974 graduate of The Albany Academy. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1978 and went on to serve more than 23 years in the Navy, holding key leadership roles aboard the USS Paul, USS W.S. Sims, and USS Ticonderoga. His final Navy assignment was as inspector general of Navy Recruiting Command.
Fitzgerald’s awards include four Meritorious Service Medals, four Navy Commendation Medals the Navy Achievement Medal, along with other service and unit honors. After earning a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Memphis, he began a second career in education at Siena College in Loudonville, New York. Over two decades, he taught marketing and management and served in several administrative roles before retiring in 2023.
He has served on the board of Wildwood Programs, a nonprofit that supports children and adults with learning disabilities and autism—a cause inspired by his late son, Christopher. He also worked with Friends of Fontaine, Inc., helping support education and health programs in Haiti, and stayed active with alumni and veteran organizations.
Since moving to Rockingham in 2024 with his wife, Eva, Fitzgerald has joined the Rockingham American Legion Post 147, continuing his long tradition of service and community involvement.
Following Saturday’s observance, the annual Veterans Day Parade will begin at 2 p.m. on Main Street in Hamlet. The All Veterans Jump Team will also take part in the festivities. The celebration will continue with live music from Mark McKinney and Company, a kids zone and food trucks at Hamlet Main Street Park from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
That same weekend, Rockingham Dragway will host its annual Freedom at the Rock from Friday through Sunday. Veterans, active-duty military members, and first responders will receive free entry throughout the event. Freedom at the Rock will feature racing, a car show hosted by the All Veterans Group and Innovation Performance Technologies, flyovers, parachute jumps and audio battles throughout the weekend.
The town of Norman will have a Veterans Day program on Saturday, Nov. 15 at noon at the Field of Honor in Norman.