JONESVILLE — Catahoula Parish Veterans Day program will be at 9:45 a.m., Nov. 11 at Block High School gym.

This is the seventh year that Principal Donald Money and Block High students and faculty have welcomed the Veterans to the school by providing the site for the program. Ruth King, coordinator for the event, said having the program at the school means a lot.

“I am so appreciative that Principal Money allows me to have the program at his school,” she said. “The staff and students go out of their way making the veterans feel special.

“But, talking about special, it takes a special person to serve our country in the military today. It’s their dedication and commitment in the face of danger and war that some people don’t want to think about. It is that unselfish love for country and fellow Americans that make them so very special. It is an honor for me to recognize them.”

The 2010 guest speaker will be Louisiana Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau.

“I have tried for several years to get the adjutant general as our speaker but he usually has a full calendar, so I really feel honored to have scheduled him this year,” King said.

Landreneau is responsible for the deployment and coordination of programs, policies and plans affecting the more than 11,000 members of the Louisiana Army and Air National Guard.

Landreneau was born on Oct. 4, 1947. He graduated from Vidrine High School and has a bachelor of science degree in agronomy from the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College.

In June 1969, Landreneau enlisted as a private in the Louisiana National Guard. He attended the Louisiana State Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1971. During Operation Desert Storm, he served on active duty in Southwest Asia as Commander, 527th Engineer Battalion. The general was assigned to his present position as adjutant general on Nov. 8, 1997.

A few of the many distinguished awards that Landreneau has are the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Louisiana Distinguished Service Medal, the Louisiana Legion of Merit and the Louisiana War Cross.

Landreneau is a member of several boards and committees, including the Army force structure committee of the adjutants general association of the U.S., public safety recovery committee of the Louisiana recovery authority, the governor’s military advisory board, the Louisiana drug policy board and the governor’s homeland security advisory council.

Prior to his appointment as the adjutant general, he worked as a civilian employee with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for more than 30 years and retired as the assistant state conservationist in 1996.

On July 30, 1998, Landreneau was promoted to the rank of major general.

General Landreneau and his wife, Dolores Fontenot Landreneau, have four children and six grandchildren.