Veterans ceremony to be held honoring those labeled as POW or MIA

A special Veterans ceremony is set to be held in El Centro on Friday.

News 11 spoke with organizers on what the event will commemorate.

“It’s not a celebration it’s a remembrance, although a lot of people take it as a celebration. It’s a remembrance of those veterans that did not make it back,” said Edward Castillo-Rubio, Combat Veteran of Vietnam War.

The ceremony is being hosted by local American Legion post 25 and the Vietnam/Global Veterans of Foreign Wars. It will commemorate those who were labeled as POW or MIA.

“POW, MIA, means prisoner of war, missing in action. In Vietnam even though President Nixon at the time got a lot of prisoners of war out, there is reports that not all came home,” explained Castillo-Rubio.

He also explained to me what the VFW is and what they stand for.

“The VFW are basically those that have served overseas in a combat zone,” added Castillo-Rubio

This is different from being in the American Legion.

“American Legion, so long as you served during war time or peace time, that you can still be a member. So each has its goal, but we all served the same thing. We all represent veterans from throughout. What we are going to have tomorrow is a speaker, and then we are going to have a 21 gun salute and then we are going to be playing taps, that’s going to be the primary thing we are going to do,” said Castillo-Rubio

The special event will take place here at Bucklin Park in El Centro. News 11 is told people will start gathering around 5:30 in the evening and the ceremony will start right at 6 p.m.