Flyover kicks off Armed Forces Day Parade in salute to the Air Force.

Event to begin with flyover by Maj. Gen. Richard Scobee

Hamilton County and the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council will sponsor the 68th annual Armed Forces Day parade and luncheon on Friday, May 5, at 10:30 a.m. in downtown Chattanooga.

The parade highlights a different branch of service every year, with the Air Force featured on Friday. The parade will begin with a flyover of two F-16s piloted by Lt. Col. Dave Snodgrass and Maj. Gen. Richard Scobee.

Scobee, son of Chattanooga resident June Scobee Rodgers, is a com- mand pilot with more than 3,800 flight hours, including 248 combat hours. He is the 10th Air Force commander, Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base.

His command includes all fighter, bomber, special operations, rescue, airborne warning and control, fighter and bomber flying- training missions, combat air operations battle staff, remotely piloted aircraft, space and cyber units in the Air Force Reserve Command.

Two Air Force veterans will serve as parade marshals: Jack Rolfson, a WWII B- 17 pilot, and Eugene Parrott, a fighter pilot in the Korean War.

Another special guest will be Lt. General Arnold W. Bunch Jr., military deputy for the Office of the Assistant Air Force Secre- tary for Acquisition at the Defense Department.

He oversees research and development, production, tests and upgrade work on the service branch’s programs. Prior to his current position, he was commander of the Air Force test center for three years at Edwards Air Force Base. He has more than 2,500 flight hours as a command pilot flying F-16, KC-135, B-52 and other military aircraft.

Bunch will serve as senior reviewing officer at the parade and will speak at a luncheon immediately afterward.

The luncheon will be held at the Chattanooga Convention Center at noon. Service members in uniform may attend free of charge, but advance tickets are required.

Spectators will enjoy nearly 100 parade entries such as JROTC units, high school marching bands, military vehicles, veteran’s organizations, area businesses, volunteer organizations and entries from every military branch. The parade procession, the largest in recent years, will travel north on Market Street from M.L. King Boulevard.

For more i nformation, visit the parade’s Facebook page www. facebook. com/chattafparade/ or the Chattanooga Area Veterans Council at http://chattareaveterans. com.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Spectators line Market Street to watch last year’s Armed Forces Day parade.