The Plainview Memorial Day program will be held on Monday, May 25 in the Tartan Gym at Plainview Public Schools, with the Wayne County Commander as the keynote speaker.
This year’s program will begin at 11 a.m., on the rotation from last year’s trade with Osmond for speaker services.
This year’s keynote speaker is Sandra Bernt.
Bernt enlisted in the Nebraska National Guard in June 2000, and went to Fort Leonardwood ,Missouri in January 2000 for boot camp and AIT.
Her MOS was 95B Military Police. She drilled out of the Omaha unit transferring to the Rapid City unit. While attached to the Rapid City unit she was activated for the Jasper Fire by Custer, which is to date the largest single wildfire in South Dakota history. In January 2001, Pfc Bernt did a conditional release from the South Dakota National Guard and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.
She went to recruit training at Parris Island South Carolina, Marine Combat Training at Camp Lejeune North Carolina, and was stationed at 1st FSSG at Camp Pendleton.
Upon re-enlisting in the Marine Corps, she attended Recruiter School in San Diego and was then stationed at RS Cleveland RSS Salem PCS Boardman.
While at RS Cleveland she was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Sgt Bernt finished her enlistment at Parris Island. Duties at Parris Island included G-3 operations where they section prepared the island for multiple hurricane evacuations. Sgt Bernt's awards include Navy Unit Commendation with bronze star, Good Conduct with bronze star, National Defense, Global War on Terrorism Service, and the Army Service Ribbon.
Bernt is currently a nine-year member of the American Legion Post 252 in Winside, the Wayne County Commander, and the chairperson for the Wayne County Veterans Memorial.
She currently lives in Wayne and works for the Nebraska Department of Transportation, and has four children: Anthony and fiancee Anaka, Nash, Sophie, and Evan.