The nation’s oldest Veterans Day parade will mark its 78^th year Tuesday when it winds its way through the heart of downtown Birmingham.

The parade is one of two major events honoring veterans organized by the National Veterans Day Foundation. The first is an awards dinner Monday at the downtown Sheraton Hotel, where Capt. Russ “Boss” Bartlett, a retired naval aviator and Blue Angels pilot, will be the keynote speaker, according to the parade website.

The procession, from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., will be led by parade marshal Capt. Gary Michael “Mike” Rose, a Vietnam veteran and Medal of Honor recipient credited with saving the lives of about 60 soldiers while being shot at and wounded during 1970’s Operation Tailwind in Laos.

Among the expected parade participants are Miss America, Miss Alabama, cadets from Marion Military Institute and 227 Boy Scouts, Dave Burford, the foundation’s vice president, said. He noted that each scout will carry a large photo of an Alabama military member or veteran killed since Sept. 11. Organizers hope five or six vintage aircraft will be part of a parade flyover.

Veterans Day holds a special place in Alabama. Alabamians have long answered the call to serve in the nation’s military, and the state now is home to almost 400,000 veterans — more than 7% of the state’s population.

“Our veterans represent the very best of America, and here in Alabama, we are proud to stand firmly behind them. We have worked and fought hard to ensure our state remains the most veteran-friendly state in the nation,” Gov. Kay Ivey, the daughter of a World War II veteran, said in a news release.

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, echoed that sentiment.

“We in Alabama have a very proud tradition of supporting our national defense, so it is no surprise that we are home to more than 300,000 veterans,” she said. “Our veterans have served our nation with great bravery and distinction, and we owe them each an enormous debt of gratitude.”

The most recent statistics from the Veterans Administration’s National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics show that in 2023, 275,152 men and women in Alabama were wartime vets, with 67,847 having served during peacetime. Jefferson County was home to 34,509.

The vast majority, more than 180,000, served in the Gulf War era; almost 100,000 were Vietnam veterans; more than 75,000 were veterans of the Post 9/11 era; more than 7,000 served in the Korean Conflict; and 783 were veterans of WWII,

Alabama’s Department of Veterans Affairs offers a number of programs and services, with a service office in each of the state’s 67 counties. There, veterans, their dependents and survivors can receive help with federal and state benefit and entitlement claims. Jefferson County has two service offices, one in Bessemer and the other in downtown Birmingham.

Another benefit Alabama offers its retired military members is a state income tax exemption on military retirement pay.

Private organizations, such as Three Hots and Cot, also provide services to unhoused veterans and helps them transition into civilian society, said Burford, a former chairman.

Future Alabama veterans could include the 7,692 Alabamians on active duty in 2023, the most recent year for which data is available, according to Military OneSource, a Department of Defense program.

Birmingham is not the only place to honor veterans this month, as a number of events have been scheduled by veterans groups, schools, municipalities and other organizations.

Vestavia Hills is holding a Salute to Veterans on Monday at the city’s Civic Center, for instance.

Spain Park High School in Hoover held a Veterans Day Celebration on Nov. 6, and U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer hosted a 50^th anniversary pinning ceremony honoring Vietnam Veterans on Nov. 7 at the Pelham Civic Complex.