Ceremony honors service men, women
The sound of the National Anthem fills the Memorial Student Union Building ballroom resulting in a crowd member’s emotional response, the Javelina Battalion makes their way to the stage to present and post the colors of the United States.
Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) Military and Veteran Resource Center and the Javelina Battalion honored the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in combat, active personnel and veterans during the annual Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 9. Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” after World War I ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year.
Dante Rios is a student who works for the Military and Veteran Resource Center and attended the event with his father who served in the military. “What made me emotional was seeing my father stand up during the honoring of the branches when he was able to stand up, be recognized and applauded for [his service]. It’s a moment that is going to stick with me as he is getting older. I’m super proud to have him as my dad. He’s a veteran, he served and I am glad he was able to make it out [to the event],” Rios said.
Many veterans were able to attend the ceremony, but there also those who were not able to return home. While the ballroom was full of tables, a Missing Man table was reserved onstage. A table cloth draped the table which held a candle and a plate with lemon and salt. The salt symbolized the tears of our missing and the families which searched for answers after decades of uncertainty. The lemon emphasized the bitter fate of those captured and missing in a foreign land. The candle represented the hope for their return, alive or not. Lastly, a chair was positioned upwards against the table to signify that the chair remains unclaimed and empty.
Speakers at the event highlighted the importance of mental health and the severity of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression especially after combat. “Depression like the speaker mentioned, is a very dark place, but we’re not alone,” Marine Corps student veteran Jacob Hinojosa said. TAMUK’s Veteran and Military Resource Center provides a network of mentors, counselors and employees who strive to ensure that military and veteran students receive all the tools they need to succeed and be healthy.
For more information visit https://www.tamuk.edu/enrollment-management/veterans/index.html.
Graduation stoles and cords were presented to graduating veterans during the ceremony as well. The ceremony also paid tribute to the sacrifices made and continued devotion to protect the freedom of the United States citizens. “Having these events makes me feel appreciated, so I want to tell people to go out and serve. Events like these help veterans with morale and for them to pass on their knowledge as well to the newer generations,” veteran David Tijerina said.