Pike County Veteran of the Year

Pike County American Legion Post 197 honored all those who serve and have served during the annual Veterans Day program and awarded the 2025 Veteran of the Year honor to Ronnie Griffin who served as a U.S. Marine for 22 years.

Post 197 commander Bryan Richardson noted the Pike County Veteran of the Year honor “embraces the veteran’s service during and after the veteran’s years in the military, and includes volunteerism in the local community organizations as well as supporting fellow veterans and active-duty military.”

Ron Griffin was born in Ocilla and raised in Fitzgerald before graduating from St. Louis High School in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1975 and earning his associate degree in police science from Park University in Parkville, Missouri in 1980. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1969 to 1991, retiring as a Master Sergeant.

Griffin had a unique assignment with the Royal Dutch Marine Corps as an Exchange Senior Non-Commissioned Officer to the 45th Commando Group in Dorne, Holland and with the Dutch Counter Terrorism Close Combat Unit. He also served as Chief Survival Instructor at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, California and Project Officer for Training Systems at the Marine Corps Development Command in Quantico, Virginia.

He moved to Georgia to be closer to family and made Pike County his home in June 2021. He joined Post 197 and is currently an active member of the Detachment’s Honor Guard Team. He is also active in the Marine Corps League which donates to children’s hospitals and non-kill animal shelters and he holds the officer position of Dog Trainer. In 2023, he founded Operation Cakewalk which provides cake mixes and cans of icing to food banks. Also in 2023, he became the full time pastor of Concord Methodist Church and helps countless citizens through his ministry.

He helps veterans with Veterans Affairs disability claims as a certified Veterans Service Officer.
In 2025, he started the Command Visitation Program which takes members of the Marine Corps League Detachment 1196 to visit veterans in long-term care facilities in Pike and Spalding Counties.

“As a Marine Corps veteran, Ron has made a lasting impact on his fellow veterans in the community as well as the community itself, providing direct assistance to many in need of financial, medical, physical and spiritual support,” said commander Richardson. “He is highly respected within the community. For all this and much more, he has been selected as the 2025 Pike County Veteran of the Year.”

In addition to honoring the Veteran of the Year, several others were recognized at the Veterans Day program. Rep. Beth Camp was presented with a Commander’s Coin for speaking at the event and her continued support of veterans and Post 197.

Will Busby, the son of Dr. Lindsey Busby, was honored with a Commander’s Coin for his years of support for Post 197 events where he has played Taps and been involved in the programs, including being a Youngest Generation program guest speaker.