Veterans Day Tribute

The City’s 16th Annual Veterans Day Tribute will be on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. in Byers Theatre at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public, and all are invited to attend to honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans. 

Speaker Bio - Frank Weisser

U.S. Navy Commander Frank Weisser is a two-time Blue Angels Pilot who deployed to combat three separate times, including Afghanistan and Iraq. He flew in the front seat as an F-18 pilot for some of Top Gun: Maverick’s most memorable scenes. These scenes, including when Tom Cruise blasts through a twisting canyon uncomfortably close to rocky cliffs and the ground at lightning speeds, were crucial in demonstrating the feasibility of the combat mission pilots are tasked with. By completing that canyon course in 2 hours 15 minutes, Cruise was able to show his Navy bosses that, in fact, the combat mission could be completed. While Cruise appears to be flying the jet, it was Weisser who was in control, showcasing his exceptional piloting skills and expertise.

A native of Atlanta, Ga., Weisser graduated from North Springs High School and the United States Naval Academy. He joined the Blue Angels in September 2007 and has accumulated more than 5,000 flight hours and nearly 500 carrier landings. In September 2009, he earned a master's degree in Systems Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School.

His decorations include multiple Meritorious Service Medals, Strike Flight Air Medals, and various personal and unit awards. He is type-rated in the Gulfstream 450/550/700/800 and resides in a private airpark in the North Georgia Mountains.