Friday, November 11, Concord University honored the men and women of our Armed Forces by participating in the National Roll Call, along with other Veteran-supportive campuses across the United States of America. In Subway Sides, CU listed the names of the US Military who were active in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). At 11:00 A.M. the University paused for a “Minute of Silence,” and the Concord University carillon rang.
Veterans Day is a time for us to pay our respects to those who have served. For one day, we stand united in respect for our veterans. In the United States, there are twenty-two million veterans still living, and sixteen million of those veterans served in wartime. That number doesn’t even account for the veterans who have gone on before us.
Since the beginning of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2001, over 1.9 million US military personnel have been deployed in three million tours of duty lasting more than 30 days as part of OEF or OIF. Per Military.com, there are over 5,000 troops serving in Afghanistan and almost 4,000 troops serving in Iraq.
There are 96 veterans enrolled at Concord University. Aside from the veterans at Concord University, there are many active military members as well. I had the privilege of speaking to a veteran in Athens about their thoughts on Veterans Day. He decided to remain anonymous. “Veterans Day to me is a day where I can be solemn and be thankful for those who have died fighting for my freedom. It’s not just a day where I get my hand shaken and saluted or even get a free meal from a local restaurant, it is a day where I can shake a hand of another veteran and come together with my brothers and spend the day being thankful for them and others all over the world.”
Steven Kennedy is a Sophomore here at Concord University and is also an Army veteran. “Being a veteran allows me to be a part of something bigger than myself. It’s truly an honor to wake up amongst the ranks of true heroes.”
Amanda Cook, a Senior Elementary Education student described Veterans Day like this: “Veterans Day is a day that I believe is important in our nation. It’s a day where we don’t only have parades and some people, the day off from work, but it is a day where all Americans can come together as a nation and be grateful for those who have fought for us to be able to live freely.”