Vietnam War veterans and the public are invited to attend and participate in a 50th anniversary Vietnam War veterans commemoration pinning event.

It starts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 12, at the food court at Mesa Market Place, 10550 E. Baseline in Mesa.

This national effort is a Secretary of Defense initiative, authorized by Congress, to do what should have been done 50 years ago: thank and honor Vietnam War veterans — our nation’s blood and treasure from a generation ago — and their families for their service and sacrifice, according to a release.

All U.S. Armed Forces veterans who served between Nov. 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975, regardless of their service location, are entitled to be “pinned” and to be thanked for their service by an official representative of the U.S. Department of Defense at this pinning event.

Additionally, surviving spouses of a deceased veteran who served during the same period are also invited to be “pinned.”

There is no need to preregister to be included in the pinning event. The Department of Defense is also offering some additional special honors for this event.

The following honors require preregistration, by calling military veteran Nancy Fassbender at 520-280-4715 as soon as possible: If you are a former Vietnam War POW or a surviving spouse of a former Vietnam POW, please register. Additionally, if you are a parent, spouse, sibling or child of a service person listed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, DC., or if you are a parent, spouse, sibling, or child of a service person who was unaccounted for or missing by the Department of Defense, you are asked to preregister to receive your special honors.

Maj. Gen. Peter Aylward, U.S. Army (retired), director of the U.S.A. Vietnam War Commemoration, will conduct the “pinning” ceremonies under the auspices of the U.S. government and the Department of Defense, pending COVID-19 clearance, the release states.

The event will include Apache Junction High School’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Honor Guard; Maj. Gen. Michael McGuire (USAF retired); Congressman Andy Biggs; and Fassbender, veteran and author.

Fassbender and the Pinal County Veterans Memorial Foundation are making this official pinning event possible.