A Veterans Day ceremony was held on Friday at the Dillon City-County Complex.
Major General John Grimball was the guest speaker. Two World War II veterans were recognized with the World War II Victory Commemoration Medal–Lloyd H. Fore and Lamar Bailey. James Leslie was named the Dillon County Veteran of the Year. More will be in The Dillon Herald next week.
James Leslie was named the Dillon County Veteran Of The Year at the annual ceremony held on Friday at Veterans Square at the Dillon City-County Complex.
Leslie, the son of Johnny McCoy of Little Rock and Fannie Leslie of Minturn, is a resident of Latta. He attended Bronx Community college, Long Island University, and John Jay Criminal Justice Academy, all in New York City. He graduated from Crator Criminal Justice Academy in Petersburg, Virginia.
He is a retired Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force. He served a total of 23 years in the Armed Forces, six years in the New York State Army National Guard and 17 years in the New York State Air National Guard. During his military career, he was Telecommunications Specialist and was promoted to the position of First Sergeant. He was activated and served during the Gulf War in 1990 and 1991. He also served in many other humanitarian air lift missions. He retired in 1994.
Leslie is a retired senior investigator from the New York State Inspector General’s Office Dept. of Corrections and the New York State Police Violent Felony Task Force. Following that retirement, he continued his law enforcement career with the State of Virginia as a special agent. There he coordinated a narcotic canine unit in the Southeastern section of the State of Virginia.
Leslie now lives in Latta. He is presently doing volunteer work for the Dillon County Office of the American Red Cross, serves as an Auxiliary Probation Officer for the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice and as a arbitrator for the Fourth Circuit. He is a member of the Florence, SC Veterans Honor Guard and in 2010, participated in 127 funerals for veterans in the Pee Dee area and so far this year, in 120 funerals for veterans.
His hobbies include traveling and deep sea fishing.
