Honoring and supporting our community’s newest and youngest service members
Back again, join us as we recognize and celebrate the Class of 2026 high school seniors from metro Detroit who have made the honorable decision to enlist in the United States Armed Forces.
The Detroit-area Our Community Salutes High School Enlistee Recognition Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at The War Memorial.
This special evening is dedicated to these young men and women and their families, acknowledging their commitment to serve our nation. The event provides a meaningful opportunity for the community to express gratitude, offer support, and celebrate their transition into military service.
Event Details
6:30pm Recognition Ceremony- A formal program featuring distinguished speakers, the Oath of Enlistment, and a tribute to our future service members.
7:30pm Resource Fair and Reception- Enlistees, family members, military personnel, recruiters, and community supporters are invited to connect with military organizations, veteran groups, and service-related resources.
We invite the public to attend and show their support for these young men and women as they embark on their journey of military service. Let’s come together to honor their courage, commitment, and dedication to serving our country.
Our 2026 Featured Speaker- This year’s featured speaker is Coast Guard Capt. Rick Armstrong. To learn more about Armstrong, please check out his biography at the bottom of the page.
About Our Community Salutes
Our Community Salutes (OCS) is a national, non-profit organization helping communities recognize, honor and support high school seniors who plan to enlist in the U.S. Armed Services after graduation.
OCS was founded in 2009 by educator and former U.S. Army officer, Dr. Kenneth Hartman, to provide enlistees and their parents with guidance, information, resources and community support from like-minded enlistees and parents as their son or daughter transition into military service.
Our Community Salutes includes community leaders, government officials, educators, businessmen, and veterans who feel strongly in the importance of community support and recognition of the patriotic young adults who will enlist in the military after graduation.
Our Community Salutes was founded in 2009 with our inaugural OCS of South Jersey community.
OCS is a 501c3 non-profit organization with a GuideStar Bronze Seal of Transparency.
About Capt. Rick Armstrong
Captain Rick Armstrong assumed duty as the Commander of Sector Detroit in June 2023. He oversees eleven subordinate units with an area of responsibility stretching from Vermillion, Ohio west and northward beyond Tawas, Michigan along 427 miles of international border with Canada through Lakes Erie, St. Clair and Huron and along the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers.
Prior to assuming command of Sector Detroit, Captain Armstrong served as Deputy Sector Commander in Key West, Florida where he oversaw ten subordinate units and directed law enforcement, search and rescue, and environmental response operations across a 55,000 square nautical mile area encompassing the Florida Keys and bordering the territorial seas of Cuba and the Bahamas.
Originally from Syracuse, New York, Captain Armstrong graduated with honors from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. He also attended Syracuse University and earned a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Public Administration. Over the course of Captain Armstrong’s 25-year military career, he earned the Response Operations Ashore and Advanced Boat Forces Insignias amongst other military decorations, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and other personal and unit awards.
