T his year’s East Valley Veterans Parade will be led by a living legend whose service embodies the theme “Ready Then. Ready Now.”

Grand Marshal Cpl. Bob Brutinel, who recently celebrated his 101st birthday, represents the enduring spirit of American military readiness that has protected our nation for 250 years.

Born in El Paso, Texas, on Sept. 4, 1924, Bob grew up in Clifton, Arizona, during the Great Depression.

When World War II erupted, the teenage Bob felt the call to serve. At 17, he asked his mother for permission to join the Marines – she refused, citing his age.

But determination ran deep in young Brutinel.

Shortly after he turned 18, he made his own decision: he quit high school, enlisted in the Marine Corps, and boarded a train for boot camp in San Diego.

After completing

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