Baton Rouge Community College's Office of Veterans Affairs will commemorate Veterans Day with its annual program honoring the dedicated service of our nation's military personnel. The annual Veterans Day Program will take place on Thursday, November 9, at 9 a.m., in the Magnolia Theatre on the Mid City Campus, 201 Community College Drive.
Highlighting the event is a keynote address by Retired Colonel Jona Hughes, a distinguished member of the Louisiana Army National Guard for over three decades. Col. Hughes holds the distinction of being the first African American woman to achieve the rank of Colonel.
About Ret. Col. Jona Hughes
Colonel Jona Hughes was deployed in 2010 to Iraq as the Forward Operations Base Commander. Hughes was
responsible for 7,000 tenants providing them life support and was fondly referred
to as the “Mayor” of West Baghdad, Iraq. She served as Director of Reintegration
and was responsible for all Family Readiness service support relating to the Child
and Youth Program, Suicide Prevention, Funeral Honors, Transition Soldiers, and Yellow
Ribbon Program for returning soldiers.
After retirement, she spent two years living in Virginia where she worked as a Program Manager at the headquarters of the National Guard Bureau. Hughes currently works as the Senior Army Instructor at Liberty Magnet High School where she provides students with training and knowledge about the Army. She also gives back through coaching and mentoring the next generation of future leaders in our country.
All members of the public are invited and are welcome to join BRCC in recognizing and appreciating the sacrifices made by our veterans.