A large group of people met on the Student Center Green for the University’s annual Veterans Day Commemoration ceremony Thursday morning.
The event, which spanned 45 minutes, included the university Army and Air Force ROTC, President Todd Diacon and keynote speaker Dr. Maureen McFarland, retired Lieutenant Colonel of the United States Marine Corps.
The commemoration occurs annually on campus, put on by the Center for Adult and Veteran Services and the University Events & Protocol Office.
It began with the raising of the flags by the Army and Air Force ROTC, followed by the Posting of the Colors, which presented the respective flags, and a rendition of the National Anthem.
Dr. McFarland took to the stage to talk briefly about the history of the military in Kent State’s past, and the importance of education for future generations. She also touched on the importance of Veterans Day.
“It’s a solemn acknowledgement that the cost of freedom is etched in the sacrifices of the brave men and women who stood, and continue to stand in harm’s way,” McFarland said.
Scott Crawford, assistant director of the Center for Adult and Veteran Services, said the event is a great way to commemorate the hundreds of members of the Kent community who served.
“We have students on campus who are currently serving or who have served,” Crawford said. “It’s our way to say thank you to them for their service in addition to faculty and staff members and members of the community who have served as well.”
At the conclusion of the event, freshman air traffic and airspace management major Jaymie Reynolds said she believed it was done very well.
“It was a nice thing, especially at the end how they did each song and had [the Veterans] stand,” she said. “Also seeing the Retiring of the Colors and doing colors is always very nice.”
Andin Fisher, a faculty member at the Air Force ROTC department, said the event is a good way to hear stories from Veterans.
“I’m a veteran, I’m active duty. Always seeing who else has been active duty and what their stories are, just hearing what people have done after the military in their civilian lives is always great to hear,” he said.
Reynolds said having family members who have served in the military is part of the reason she attended the event.
“I have a lot of family who have served in the military between all of the different branches, outside the Coast Guard, so it’s a thing in my family we usually always do something for Veterans Day,” she said.
Crawford said he hopes people understand, through this event, that veterans and service members are part of the everyday campus community.
“Veterans and service members and dependents are people that you see everyday,” Crawford said. “You might not necessarily see someone walking across campus in a service uniform or camouflage, but it might just be a person next to you in class.”
The location of the event makes it easy for students to stop by for a few minutes between classes and listen to the ceremony.
“It’s nice to have on a campus because other students get to see it,” Fisher said. “Maybe they’re interested by what’s going on or what people are talking about.”
Overall, the event was a way for the community and university to give thanks and recognition to those who have served or are currently serving.
“We just like to take one hour of one day a year and tell our veterans and [service members] ‘thank you,’” Crawford said. “In addition to that too, we always make a point to say thank you to people who are family members of those who have served because they have a unique experience being a member of a military family.”
Olivia Montgomery is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
