Tempe high school graduates and residents who have committed to serving in the U.S. armed forces were honored May 9 during the eighth annual Tempe Community Salutes at Tempe Center for the Arts.
Representatives of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines were on hand along with a Marine Corps Color Guard to salute the 38 aspiring servicemembers.
Since 2015, when the program began, Tempe Councilmember Robin Arredondo‐Savage, an Army veteran, has shaken the hands of more than 300 service‐bound Tempe residents during the ceremony.
“We started this program eight years ago as a hometown salute to honor the young adults who will be entering military service and to recognize their families for their support,” Arredondo‐Savage said. “I am proud to have attended every year to personally say thank you to them.”
The Patriot Guard Riders of Arizona, a veteran’s group, greeted guests as they entered. Entertainment was provided by vintage entertainment singers The Manhattan Dolls, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Band of Arizona and the East Valley Harmonizers Barbershop Chorus.
WM, Sender, Gammage & Burnham and Blue Star Mothers sponsored the program.
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2022 Community Salutes honorees
Army
Lily Brown, Timothy E. Hardiman, James A. Ledo, Mariana Herrera Plascencia, Linda Quincy, Zachary S. Ray.
Navy
Nadja Messerschmidt, Michael Nunez, Kyle Prescott, Alexis Delgado, Colin Gilmore, Keira Schreckengost, Ynhi Nguyen, Peter Nguyen, Marco Rosas Troncoso, Leah Finstrom, Dustin Carmona, Kevin Morales Loera.
Air Force
Carlos Herrera, Hunter Marnelos, Abelardo Sandoval, Zoe Stone.
Marines
Karime Acostabucio, William Christian, Michael Chadwick, Antonio Elizarraraz, Alfonso Gamez, Azael Gamez Ramirez, Jocelyn Angelina Gonzalez, Nicolas Angel, Haines Pizzaro, Leon Edward Jenkins, Francis Taylor Jones, Mariette Mbaju, Javin Quang Nguyen, Valeria Marylynn Parker, Xavier Fernando Ramirez, Alejandro Rosales Montejo, Victor Zazueta.
