The Observer would like to honor Sandoval County veterans and put faces to the ideal of serving our country this Veterans Day.

So, we’re working on a special section to be published Nov. 8, the Sunday before Veterans Day.

We invite all Sandoval County veterans to submit their photos and basic information to us so we can include them. Families and friends of Sandoval County veterans are welcome to submit those items on behalf of their loved one.

There is no charge to veterans, their families or friends.

We’ll need the veteran’s name, rank when leaving the military, branch or branches in which they served, the year they entered the military and the year they were discharged. We’d also like to run veterans’ portraits, taken during or after their service.

Any veteran of any era or conflict, whether living or deceased, is eligible. The person just needs to have lived in Sandoval County at any point in life, for any length of time.

Current service members are also eligible, as long as they’ve lived in the county.

We’re hoping to recognize as many Sandoval County veterans as we can and to provide a visual record of our neighbors who have protected this nation. This section will allow us all to flip through pages, seeing those who have served and the years they’ve devoted to the cause.

To have a veteran included, please email a high-resolution (180 dpi or better) digital photo and the information to editor Argen Marie Duncan at [email protected], or bring a photo to our office to be scanned while you fill out an information form. We can also photograph you, if you need it.

The Observer office is at 409 NM 528, Suite 101, which is on the southwest corner of NM 528 and Quantum Road, on the east side of the Wealth Management building. Call 892-8080 if you need more detailed directions.

Paper, ink, employee time, electricity and all the other things it takes to produce this very special section carry costs, so we’re hoping local businesses and other organizations will help us sponsor pages. This is your group’s chance to publicly thank our veterans and service members for their sacrifices.

For more information about being a sponsor, contact Susan Saunier at [email protected] or 221-9881.

We know there are hundreds, if not thousands, of veterans and current service members in Rio Rancho and Sandoval County. We’d love to honor all of you. Let us hear from you!

Needless to say, but we’ll say it anyway: Thank you for your service.

RRO Saluting Our Veterans Form