EATON — U.S. Army retired Col. Chip Tansill will be the featured speaker at the Preble County Fair Veterans Day program on Saturday, July 28.

The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. in front of the grandstands.

Prior to being appointed director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Services, Col. Tansill served as executive director of the Franklin County Veterans Service Commission.

Col. Tansill began his military career in 1982 when he joined the United States Army Reserve. He was deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1990. In 2011, he was named chief of staff for the Ohio National Guard.

His awards and decorations include Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, and the Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters. He retired from military service in 2015.

Col. Tansill received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Fairmont State College. He holds master degree’s from Trident University and the U.S. Army War College.

The Ohio Department of Veterans Services works to actively identify, connect with, and advocate for veterans and their families. Ohio law give the department the responsibility to partner with county veteran service commissions and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in order to “serve those who have served.”