The annual ceremony pays tribute to members of the Elon community who have proudly served their country.
On Veterans Day, the Elon community recognized and showed gratitude to the brave men and women who have proudly served the United States as members of the armed forces during the annual Veterans Day Observance ceremony.
The ceremony in the LaRose Digital Theatre at the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business was organized by Professor of Management Matt Valle, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He calls it an honor to help celebrate his fellow veterans.
“It’s part of the service that veterans are known for,” Valle said. “We’re used to getting things done, and it’s a way to show service to veterans and the veteran community. We appreciate them, and this is a physical manifestation of that appreciation.”
The ceremony included a posting of colors by the Western Alamance High School Naval ROTC Color Guard and a video tribute produced by Elon management students. A roll call also gave veterans and their families the chance to proudly state their names and military branches, as well as those of family members not in attendance.
“It’s so good to be recognized as a veteran,” said Assistant Building Services Technician Kenneth Carr, who served as a communications center technician with top-secret clearance in the U.S. Marines. “A lot of people don’t understand what veterans have been through, but it’s very nice that Elon is recognizing veterans on this day.”
Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Education Mary Kay Hannah was the keynote speaker for this year’s ceremony. Hannah, who retired from the U.S. Army after 23 years of service, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1985 and served as a military police officer until 1999. She practiced physical therapy as an Army therapist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg and with the 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan.
In her speech, Hannah discussed her time serving under then-Major General Colin Powell in Frankfurt, Germany, and the lessons about kindness and respect he taught her. She also expressed the pride she feels in being among the 7 percent of Americans who can call themselves veterans.
“Why do we do it,” Hannah asked. “There are as many reasons to join as there are service members, but once joined, everyone wears the same uniform on the outside and everyone is a patriot on the inside. Not the flag-waving sort, but the personal sort. We all raise our hands and swear an oath to the constitution and to our brothers and sisters in arms, and we work together on the greatest collective mission: To support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same.”
For Assistant Director of Physical Plant Raymond Fletcher, taking that oath and joining the U.S. Navy was a life-changing experience.
“It shaped who I am,” said Fletcher, who enlisted as an aviation mechanic and later became a civil engineer and core officer. “I owe all of my education and experience to the Navy and my success today is largely because of my service.”
The Veterans Day Observance ceremony was the perfect opportunity for Fletcher and others to reflect on their service, as well as that of the community of men and women who fought to defend the nation and its ideals.
“At the heart of what the military is in the United States is the fact that they are our greatest peacekeepers,” said Elon President Connie Ledoux Book, whose father, brother and uncle served in the military. “To me, that’s the fundamental work that they’re all committing to is prospering the values of our constitution about peace, respect and human dignity. So, I am always thrilled and really grateful for Dr. Valle’s leadership in making this ceremony a regular tradition.”
During a reception following the ceremony, Valle admitted to feeling a sense of pride as he looked around the room at the group of brave veterans now serving the Elon community.
“It makes you feel good to know that that they’re appreciated, you’re appreciated, and that the university appreciates you,” he said. “This is one day out of the year to make that appreciation manifest.”