Veterans Day Ceremonies

November 11 is Veterans Day. In celebration and appreciation of America's military veterans, there are several events planned across Aggieland.

The Association joins the nation as we honor and say "thank you" to our veterans.

Today, the Student Veteran’s Association will sponsor the annual National Roll Call, a reading of the names of the men and women who died while serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. That will be in Rudder Plaza from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. A Class Council flag ceremony is planned from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., adjacent to Rudder Plaza.

Students will have the opportunity to honor a veteran by placing a flag in the area adjacent to Rudder Plaza. Cards and items to be sent to U.S. troops overseas will be collected as part of Whoop! For Troops from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Rudder Plaza. The Corps of Cadets will hold a wreath-laying ceremony with a rifle volley at the WWI memorial near Albritton Bell Tower at 11:11 a.m.

Additional wreath ceremonies are planned at 11:30 a.m. at the WWII Memorial in the Corps Plaza and at 11:45 a.m. at the Spanish-American War Memorial at the south entrance of the Sanders Corps of Cadets Center.

Off campus, there will be an event at Veterans Park in College Station today from 3 to 5 p.m. The American Legion Hall will host its annual 11-11-11 ceremony at 11 a.m. The event marks the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in recognition of the end of World War 1 at the same time in 1918. 

Heritage groups will be placing flags in honor of veterans at College Station Cemetery beginning at 8:30 a.m., and volunteers are encouraged to help. The cemetery is at 2530 Texas Ave.

For those in and around Houston, the Texas Society of the Daughters of  the American Revolution and the Houston Astros are hosting a free screening of Honor Flight: One Last Mission with musical entertainment including Gary Morris and Tracy Byrd. The event will be held tonight at Minute Maid Park. More information is available here and here.

For a full calendar of campus activities, visit tamu.edu.

Separately, in support for veterans, Aggie author Dayton Williams ’91 wrote a book called “Through the Grief—A Mother’s Journey.” It tells the story of her oldest son’s return from his third tour in Iraq and how he was killed in a hit-and-run accident less than 100 days later. This book highlights how the loss of a child weaves through all aspects of one's life, and how the journey is a process that encourages gentleness and teaches one to be open to healing. She also wrote Dragonflies, a collection of 100 daily readings. Fifty percent of proceeds from both books go to the non-profit organization, Marines Helping Marines.

For a history of Veterans Day as told by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, visit VA.gov.

You may also read the story of an Aggie veteran, Norris H. Miertschin ’44, who gave up the opportunity to wear senior boots in order to contribute raw materials to U.S. manufacturing during WWII. He was surprised with a pair of Aggie boots this year. That and more can be found on AggieNetwork.com.