Department of Georgia Travels to NY for Master of Ceremonies - Memorial Day 2024

On Memorial Day 2024, GSM Barbara Bilbrey from the Department of GA, travelled to Owego, NY to serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the 133rd Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony.

Since 1966, the ceremony had been hosted by James Raftis, Sr. of Owego who served as the chair of the Memorial Day Committee.  Mr. Raftis has given countless hours of service to veterans and families of the fallen in Tioga County, NY.  

This year, because of health challenges, he asked Mrs. Bilbrey to step in and host the ceremony as a GSM.  Mr. Raftis and Mrs. Bilbrey worked to make changes to the ceremony to bridge the gap to the new generations. It is these generations that will be carrying on our mission of never forgetting the fallen.

​The keynote given focused on the traditions of Memorial Day and of other military traditions such as the meaning of the gun volley and taps.  Mrs. Bilbrey is the GSM of Spc. Charles Bilbrey, Jr from Owego, NY who was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2007