HERMISTON – The Umatilla Chemical Depot invites the public to its annual Armed Forces Day Open House on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The event recognizes the contributions men and women have and are making to the nation’s defense through military service.

A 10 a.m.-opening ceremony starts the day’s events with guest speakers including Umatilla Mayor George Hash, a World War II prisoner of war. Those planning to attend the ceremony should be at the depot by 9:30 to allow for seating.

Depot bus tours begin after the ceremony. New for this year’s event will be the Army National Guard’s 10th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team. This highly trained team can rapidly deploy to communities and quickly assess a suspected nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological event.

A number of activities are tailored especially for children, such as camouflage face painting, armored vehicle rides and more. Wally Wise, the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) mascot, will make appearances.

Other featured activities include:

*Videos showing the depot’s construction during World War II and the chemical munitions disposal process.

*Weapons firing demonstrations.

*The Umatilla Rural Fire District with a CSEPP decontamination trailer and tent.

For the hungry, community food booths will feature a variety of food.

Visitor parking will be in the depot’s front entrance parking lot off Exit 177, Interstate 84. Handicapped parking will be available within the depot’s administrative area.

For more information, call 564-5418 or 564-5312.