The Quantico/Belvoir Regional Business Alliance, and the City of Alexandria George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee are pleased to co-host the Fifth Annual Armed Forces Community Covenant Event on Monday February 18th in Old Town Alexandria.  The Alliance has hosted these events since 2008; this is the second year it has co-hosted with the GW Celebration Committee and held the event at Market Square in Old Town.

The event started as a United States Army Community Covenant Event, events which are held in communities around the nation to celebrate the partnership between local Army Posts and their host communities and to welcome military families.  The first one, held at NOVA in Woodbridge in 2008, was so popular, that the Alliance Board voted to make this an annual event, and to broaden it to include all of the military services and their families, making it a unique such event.  

In 2012 the Alliance was invited by the City’s George Washington Birthday Committee to join forces and hold future events in Old Town Alexandria.  The event is now an integral part of the Alexandria George Washington Birthday Celebration and is held from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 in advance of the Parade, which kicks off at 1:00 p.m. every year.  The event is widely supported by the business community and includes displays from local businesses, chambers and educational organizations.

The event features patriotic music performed by the Marine Corps Base Band and the USO Show Troupe, includes brief presentations by local military leaders and community officials, and culminates in the signing of a Covenant document that pledges partnership and community support for local military and their families.

This year’s Covenant Event will include appearances by Col. Gregory Gadson, Battalion Commander, Ft. Belvoir, Col. David Maxwell, Commander, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Commander David Varner, Naval Support Activity Washington, Col. Erik Goepner, Join Base Andrews, and Col. Patrick Warren, Military District of Washington.  Mayor Euille will lead off the presentations at 11:45, following a historic reenactment by volunteers from Ft. Belvoir.