TAMUK honors all who served
Courage and honor filled the floors of the MSUB ballroom as “The National Anthem” played at Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s event to recognize alumni and community veterans.
TAMUK held a Veterans Day event that featured guest speakers, music and lunch provided for veteran alumni and the community. The event was dedicated to honoring the bravery, sacrifice and service of military veterans.
Attendees had the opportunity to listen to guest speakers and share a meal in a show of gratitude and respect for those who have served.
The program began with TAMUK’s School of Music playing “The National Anthem” followed by a letter reading by third grade student Pauline Garza that was titled “A Veterans Letter.”
The letter was written by Garza to honor those who fought like her great-grandfather.
“I just thought how could I tell him that I’m grateful for him fighting in the Army, so I thought of that when I wrote the letter,” Garza said.
Following the letter reading, everyone in attendance also had the opportunity to hear from the event’s guest speaker, Colonel Shane Cuellar.
Cuellar is an alumnus of TAMUK and was grateful to have the opportunity to speak to the community.
“I’d love to tell the American military members’ story, the veterans’ story and integrate those stories into their connections to Kingsville. It was an honor for me to be able to tell these stories,” Cuellar said.
Several veterans of the community were in attendance to join comrades in celebration. Erik Canales, a former IT III in the Army and Navy, recognized the importance of community during Veterans Day.
“Veterans Day is about comradery that veterans have developed through the years…it’s a great to remember the people that we served with,” Canales said.