Pandemic shuts down military honor banquet for second straight year

The Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation announced Thursday it is canceling its 2021 banquet because of the pandemic.

Col. Jerry Shiles, chairman of the board of the Heritage Foundation, said it was the second straight year that the banquet had to be canceled because of the pandemic.

“This is the right thing to do because we don't want to put nominees and invitees at risk,” Shiles said.

The foundation will be looking for other venues for honoring the inductees, such as churches or informal ceremonies at the inductees' homes, or ROTC or JROTC awards banquets, or public meetings such as city council meetings.

Eight honorees had been selected for induction into the Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation for 2021.

Last year's pandemic also affected 12 honorees who were selected in 2020 and whose induction ceremony also had to be postponed.

Plans for a 2022 ceremony will be publicized at a later date.