TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State University is hosting the Arizona National Guard’s first-ever Muster and Community Expo to honor Arizona’s service men and women at Sun Devil Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 11 a.m.
On Pearl Harbor Day, approximately 5,000 Arizona Army and Air National Guard members will rally in military formation on Frank Kush Field to showcase our country’s heritage and tradition, and honor the service and sacrifice of Arizona’s military families during the past 13 years of conflict.
The muster is a tradition that dates back to the colonial times of the United States when the nation’s first militia assembled in Salem, Mass., in 1636. On Sunday, this tradition will be revitalized when the Guard will muster for review before Maj. Gen. Michael T. McGuire, the Adjunct General for Arizona.
“(The Muster) allows us to take an opportunity as a state to say thank you for their (military) service and the things they do,” Maj. Gen. McGuire said. “We’re really looking forward to making this a community outreach event to say thanks for their service, not just for what they’ve done in the past 13 years of warfare in the Middle East, but for the things that the more than 600,000 veterans in the state of Arizona have done dating back to World War II.”
ASU has established a reputation as a top veteran friendly university and it was imperative for University President Dr. Michael Crow and Vice President for University Athletics Ray Anderson to partner with the Arizona National Guard to host the historic event at ASU.
“We couldn’t be more proud to participate in this celebration of our Arizona National Guard. It is an absolute pleasure, honor and privilege for us,” Anderson said. “The most important thing is we want to make sure as many citizens as possible come and join us to really celebrate our service members, in particular our National Guard.”
The event is free to the general public and families, friends, students and veterans are encouraged to attend. Everyone in the community is welcome to witness the military gathering and exposition that will follow featuring attractions, food, a job fair and more.
Gates open at 9:30 a.m. with the muster going from 11 a.m. to noon and the exposition outside the stadium ending at 4 p.m.
Additional information and details regarding the Arizona National Guard Muster and Community Expo can be found one their website, dema.az.gov/muster.