G Marrano photo

For a third straight year Roanoke City has planted a tree to honor military veterans, just ahead of Veterans Day, which is next Wednesday. This morning a white oak was planted during a ceremony near where the National Guard Armory once stood on Reserve Avenue. Roanoke City Councilman Bill Bestpitch was in the Army for 8 years. Bestpitch also said this year’s planting coincides with the 100th anniversary of the bill in Congress that re-organized the Army into three groups – active, reserve and National Guard.