Greater Cleveland residents and local military veterans and their families are invited to the Cleveland Veterans Day Parade to honor and celebrate members of the military.
This year’s parade grand marshal is Tim Hauser, a local Air Force veteran. Hauser gained national recognition because of his work to bring attention to the issue of veteran suicide and the longterm effects of military members’ exposure to toxic substances during their service.
Hauser advocated for the PACT Act, a federal law passed in 2022 that expanded health care for veterans who were exposed to toxic substances, such as Agent Orange, and to oil well fires during their service.
The law expanded health care services for around 5 million veterans.
Working to raise awareness
Hauser, himself, was exposed to oil well fires and “burn pits” during the Gulf War. Burn pits are piles of rubbish at bases that military personnel burn on site so they do not impact a local community’s trash removal capacity. He was diagnosed with interstitial lung disease in 2018, a group of chronic lung conditions that damage tissue and cause blood vessels to shrink. Though the military has eliminated burn pits overseas, Hauser said some military bases in the U.S. are still using them.
Hauser has also worked to raise awareness of veteran suicide, convincing Ohio to designate Sept. 22 as Veteran Suicide Awareness and Prevention Day. He founded the Veterans Assurance Network to continue his advocacy work.
There have been no research studies to determine whether there is a link between veteran suicide and exposure to toxic substances. But, Hauser said, the Veterans Assurance Network is working with members of Congress “to make this happen.”
Parade details
Parade participants this year will include the Cleveland NAACP, Cleveland Public Power, and the Warrensville Heights High School marching band. Organizer Matt Eck encourages Clevelanders to come out and “line the streets” to support veterans.
The Cleveland Veterans Day Parade kicks off at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, at City Hall. The route ends at Tower City, where there will be a first-ever celebration of veterans until 4 p.m. The celebration will feature live music, plenty of activities for kids, and resources for local veterans.
Veterans Day events and resources
USS Cod Submarine Memorial Tours Free for Veterans
When: Nov. 11 from 10 to 4:30 p.m.
Where: 1201 N Marginal Rd. in Cleveland (North Coast Harbor)
Details: Tour free for all veterans of America’s armed forces and their families. Free parking for the duration of your tour.
Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument Ceremony
When: Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.
Where: The Solders’ and Sailors’ Monument Memorial Room
Details: Formal ceremony with keynote speaker Retired United States Air Force Colonel Dartanian Warr. Also speaking is U.S. Navy Veteran Lloyd Tomlinson Jr. who served on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower after his stint with the then-Cleveland Indians as the first African-American bat boy in franchise history. The ceremony will be followed by the reading of the more than 1,500 names of the 27th United States Colored Troops in celebration of the re-opening of the African-American Civil War Museum in Washington, DC. It is part of an effort to read all 300,000 of the names across the country this Veterans Day.
Veterans Resource Fair
When: Nov. 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: 16300 Lakeshore Blvd.
Details: Includes more than 40 veteran vendors, assistance with benefits, health insurance cards, refreshments and other giveaways.
