Paying tribute to those who gave their all for their country, the annual Memorial Day services will be held at 7 a.m. Monday at Warren County Memorial Airport.
Traditionally one of the first Memorial observances in the state, the local observance will begin with the singing of the National Anthem promptly at 7 a.m. followed by the address from the keynote speaker. The address is then followed by a reading of Warren County’s war dead, spanning back to World War I and all the way up to Afghanistan. Wreaths will also be laid at the airport memorial and the public is urged to bring flowers from their garden or wreaths to lay at the memorial. A 21-gun salute will be fired by VFW Post 5064 and American Legion Post 173 Honor Guard.
Delivering the keynote speech will be McMinnville native Lt. Colonel Matthew T. Colvard.
Colvard entered service with the U.S. Army after graduating from the University of Tennessee in 1990 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry. He was stationed at Ft. Benning and then assigned to the First Armored Division in Baumholder, Germany where he served three years as platoon leader and executive officer. He would then go on to advanced military intelligence training and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg where he served for three years as assistant brigade and battalion intelligence officer.
After leaving active duty he graduated UT College of Law. He commanded  Headquarters and Service Company 844th Engineer Battalion in the Army Reserve while in law school. He was then sent to El Salvador to provide Humanitarian assistance. In civilian life he became an assistant district attorney in Franklin.
In 2003 he was ordered back to active duty and served as a prosecutor at Ft. Benning. He returned to Franklin after eight months and went into private law practice until 2008 when he was ordered back into service, this time as Command Judge Advocate for the Victory Base Complex Garrison Command in Baghdad.
Upon his return he moved back to McMinnville and joined the law firm of Farrar, Holliman and Medley. He is currently serving as Team Director for Team 3, 139th Legal Services Organization in the U.S. Army Reserve.
His military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, the Expert infantryman’s Bade and the Basic Parachutist’s Badge.