Former White House military chef to keynote Shelby Veterans Day monument dedication

Retired Navy veteran and former White House Master Chef Martin C. J. “Marti” Mongiello will headline Shelby’s Nov. 11 Veterans Day ceremony in North Carolina, where officials will dedicate a two-ton granite monument honoring 250 years of American military service. The event ties Revolutionary War history to modern veterans and includes a follow-on medal presentation for local girls.

Why it matters: - Shelby’s ceremony links the nation’s 250th anniversary era to veterans from the Revolutionary War through Iraq and Afghanistan. - The dedication adds a permanent public monument in Cleveland County to honor American military service across generations. - The event also elevates local Revolutionary War history and community recognition of veterans.

What happened: - Retired 30-year U.S. Navy veteran and former White House Master Chef Martin C. J. “Marti” Mongiello will deliver the keynote address on Wednesday, Nov. 11, in Shelby, North Carolina. - The Veterans Day parade begins at 10 a.m. in Uptown Shelby. - The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. at the historic Cleveland County Courthouse, now home to the Earl Scruggs Center, at 103 S. Lafayette Street. - The event includes the dedication of a new two-ton granite monument honoring military service. - This year’s theme is “Honoring All Our Veterans: America’s 250th.”

The details: - Mongiello’s remarks will focus on combat-experienced men and women who lived and fought in the area that later became Cleveland County during the American Revolutionary War. - The keynote will also recognize veterans of later conflicts and service across every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. - Mongiello said, “Veterans Day belongs to every generation that answered the call.” - He added, “From the Carolina frontier to the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan, our freedom rests on the courage of people whose names we must continue to remember.” - Mongiello served for 30 years in the Navy and held assignments with the White House Military Office, as a White House chef, and as a general manager at Camp David. - His service also included duty inside the Orange One nuclear facility, time at Korea’s Demilitarized Zone, and five deployments supporting Operation Southern Watch, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. - Mongiello has worked with seven U.S. presidents on issues including the Post-9/11 GI Bill, VA home loan legislative changes, veteran employment, and veteran-owned small businesses. - He has published 16 books and has appeared in more than 170 newspapers and magazines worldwide, along with the TODAY Show. - Mongiello’s historical work centers on lesser-known Revolutionary War patriots, including Mary McKeehan Patton, whom he recently discussed at the Chapman Cultural Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina. - He has also delivered historical presentations at the South Carolina Archives Center in Columbia. - Mongiello thanked Emanuel Hunt Jr. for mentorship and leadership in Cleveland County’s veterans’ community. - The American Revolutionary War Living History Center™ will present Susannah Twitty Medal of Bravery™ gold medals to several local girls after the ceremony. - The awards honor Susannah Twitty Graham Miller and are meant to celebrate young women’s courage, service, resilience, and leadership.

Between the lines: - The program uses Revolutionary War symbolism to connect local patriot history with current service members and the next generation. - Mongiello’s career and speaking work position him as both a military and historical voice for the ceremony. - The follow-on medal presentation broadens the event beyond remembrance and into community recognition of youth leadership.

What’s next: - Mongiello’s next scheduled speaking appearance is the Veteran Ready Summit from Dec. 13-15, 2026, at the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York. - The summit will bring together military leaders, employers, and advocates focused on opportunities for veterans and military families. - Mongiello serves as president of the United States Presidential Service Center® and senior curator and general manager of the United States Presidential Culinary Museum® in Grover, North Carolina. - More information is available through his social profiles, including LinkedIn, YouTube, and the Inn of the Patriots.