University faculty, staff and administrators joined ROTC students in the Agate Hall Auditorium Thursday to honor campus community members’ military service as part of a solemn-yet-beholden Veterans Day ceremony.
Nearly a dozen veterans associated with the University in one way or another took their turns at the podium, imparting their personal stories of service through laughter and mourning to a packed, pensive audience. Speakers boasted a range of military experience, from bright-eyed University ROTC cadet and economics major Jeff Kincaid to Kevin Wiles, a 10-year U.S. Navy veteran and counseling psychology doctoral student. University President Richard Lariviere and Vice President for Student Affairs Robin Holmes provided the opening and closing statements respectively, remarking about the school’s history of military association and the transitional issues faced by returning and departing soldiers, as well as the breadth of campus services offered to them. The event marked Lariviere’s last campus appearance before his Monday surgical operation, according to the Office of Media Relations.
Master of ceremonies and retired Medical Service Corps Capt. Dave Landrum said the holiday’s importance is to highlight the sacrifice and courage exhibited by American men and women “in the face of the enemy.”
“We want to underline the sacrifice they made for our country,” Landrum said. “Remember … for they surely have not forsaken you.”
Following Landrum’s introduction, Lariviere took the stage to remark about the caliber of education that officers in the school’s military science programs receive. Lariviere gave a brief history of the Pat Tillman Foundation, a national provider of resources and educational scholarships to active service members, veterans and their dependents formed in honor of the late Arizona Cardinals safety and Army Ranger Pat Tillman. Lariviere then invited U.S. Army Spc. Samuel Bennett, Army Sgt. Bryan Boender, Navy Pilot Kelly Christensen, Army Capt. Justin Jangraw and Air Force Senior Airman Caleb Lesselles on stage to be publicly acknowledged as the University’s five 2010-2011 Tillman Scholars.
Wiles followed Lariviere, giving a very heartfelt recount of his past experiences with the joys and horrors of war.
“I understand fear,” Wiles said. “I have saved a life … I have bandaged wounds.”
Wiles choked back tears as he spoke about placing a Teddy Bear in the hands of a little girl as her father’s uniformed body lay in a casket beside her.
Wiles’ tone changed slightly as he began to explain how the harassment and painful humor he was subjected to as a returning veteran led him to the field of psychology.
He described being asked questions like “Have you ever sunk anything?” or “Have you ever killed anyone?” in his workplace, and how alienated and ashamed it made him feel.
“Those who (suffer) often suffer in silence,” Wiles said. “Veterans, as a group, should add their voice to the conversation within the community … we only ask that our culture, and our roles within that culture be acknowledged, if not understood.”
Such grievous experiences convinced Wiles that committing himself to psychological studies would allow him to console veterans suffering from similar subjugation.
“Here I found a path where I could assist other vets with their troubles,” he said.
ROTC cadet Kincaid recounted his deployment two weeks after graduating basic training to oversee postal operations for nearly a year near Baghdad until June.
“Hope, love from your family and morale … those the most important things you can get while you’re deployed.” Kincaid said. “You have no idea how glad I am to be back, but a lot of people won’t be back, and that’s why we have a day like today.”
EMU Interim Director and retired Army Col. Wendy Polhemus explained how service crafted her life.
“So much of my life experience would never have been possible except by wearing this uniform,” Polhemus said.
University Vice President for Student Affairs Holmes provided the ceremony’s closing remarks, describing being raised by a Marine father and shining his belt buckles the night before his dress uniform inspection. Holmes left the crowd with the notion that the achievement of servicemen on campus reflects the institution at large.
“Our commitment to the success of all of our veterans is a commitment to the success of our institution,” Holmes said. “When you do well, we do well.”
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