MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE TO FEATURE U.S. AIR FORCE COLONEL
On Monday, United States military members and veterans will be honored during the annual Memorial Day Service at Fireman’s Park. 
“This is an event sponsored by the Washington County Veterans association, which is made of members of all the different veteran groups in the county” says Ben Seeker, Sr. Vice Commander of VFW Post 7104.
The featured speaker will be Col. Jim Sackreiter, a local retired U.S. Air Force pilot.
Lt Col (ret) Jim Sackreiter entered the Air Force via Officer Training School in June of 1986, San Antonio, TX. Jim went to pilot training in Lubbock Texas and was assigned to be a T-38 instructor. In 1989 he married Susan Luckey and they remained in Lubbock until 1991, when they moved to Tyndall AFB, FL where Jim attended F-15 training. Due to a recurring neck injury, Jim was medically removed from high G airplanes and they moved to McChord AFB in Washington State where he flew C-141s. They remained there until 1995 while Jim was an instructor aircraft commander, aerial refueling instructor, and airdrop aircraft commander.
In 1995 the family moved to San Antonio, Texas where Jim taught Air Force pilots to be Instructor Pilots in the Air Force’s newest trainer (at the time), the T-1. In 2000, the family moved to Chicago where Jim took a job with United Airlines. Shortly after 9/11, the family returned to the Air Force active duty in Del Rio, Texas where he taught new student pilots to fly T-1s.
In 2005 the family moved to Maryland where Jim took a position flying Presidential Support missions for the Bush (43) Administration. During this assignment he flew Vice President Cheney, First Lady Laura Bush, General Colin Powell, Dr Condoleezza Rice, General John Abizaid (Central Command Commander), and other dignitaries as needed by the White House. In 2007, Jim retired from the Air Force and the family moved to Brenham, where both his kids graduated from high school. Jim is currently employed as a pilot for Southwest Airlines.
Current and former members of the military will be recognized throughout the event. There will also be special emphasis on World War I, as 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the United States entering the war.
All members of the community are invited to the event, which will take place at 11 a.m. at Veteran’s Plaza at Fireman’s Park in Brenham.
KWHI will carry the program live, beginning at 11 a.m.