Tri-C Veteran of the Year Among Featured Speakers at ‘Rally for Troops’

Allen Bray Jr. to take stage at April 28 event honoring the nation’s military members

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®) Veteran of the Year Allen Bray Jr. will be among the featured speakers at the 17^th annual Rally for Troops on Sunday, April 28, in downtown Cleveland.

The event begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Greater Cleveland Veterans Memorial, also known as the Fountain of Eternal Life, on Mall A along St. Clair Avenue

Organizers said the rally is meant to acknowledge the sacrifices of active military, veterans and their families. A focus is placed on the 283 Gold Star families in Ohio who have lost a loved one during active duty since Sept. 11, 2001.

Bray amassed multiple medals during four years in the U.S. Army while serving in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Cleveland native enrolled at Tri-C in 2016 following his combat tour.

He graduated with honors in December soon after being honored as the College’s Veteran of the Year for his achievements in the military, the classroom and the community.

After earning his associate degree, Bray continued his education in business management at Hiram College. He plans to pursue a career in human resources at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, where he can help serve those who served.

Aside from Bray, other speakers at the event include a pair of Vietnam veterans; an officer from the 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment, 4th U.S. Marine Corps division based in Brook Park; and two Gold Star mothers.

The event typically draws thousands of people, including processions of motorcyclists who will ride to the event from various Harley Davidson dealerships.

April 22, 2019

John Horton, 216-987-4281 john.horton@tri-c.edu