Members of the KU ROTC take part in a formal retiring of the colors in front of Strong Hall Friday. Army, Navy and Air Force cadets will begin their annual 24- hour Veterans Day vigil at KU’s war memorials.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Matthew Mecadon pulled an all-nighter Friday as he drove ROTC cadets back and forth between the Military Science Building and the University’s three war memorials. After 12 hours of carpooling, he spent early Saturday morning directing runners around campus in the Veterans Day 5K Race. When the race was finished, he headed to Ottawa to march in the city’s Veterans Day parade.
Mecadon, Haskell Indian Nations sophomore and Air Force ROTC cadet, spent 16 hours in a row volunteering for the Veterans Day events. It was the least he could do.
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Linking the past and the present
This past weekend, members of the KU ROTC participated in a 24-hour vigil in honor of Veterans Day. Two ROTC members stood guard at each of the three war memorials on campus from 7:00 p.m. Friday through 7:00 p.m. Saturday.
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Union opens lounge for veterans
A new veterans lounge was opened Wednesday in the Burge Union. Kenzie Cordt reported live from the Burge Union to talk with veterans about the lounge.
“My 16 hours is pretty insignificant,” Mecadon said. “A lot of people forget what an important holiday this is to remember. I’m just trying to help out however I can.”
In observation of Veterans Day today, students are making an effort to honor veterans and active members of the military with several events, which began last Friday and continue through this weekend. The week is a celebration and time of recognition for the people who live and die serving in the U.S. military.
This afternoon will mark the grand opening of a veterans-only study hall in the Burge Union. The Collegiate Veterans Association led the effort to create the 300-square-foot room that will have tables and chairs, three computers, a television and a couch. The room will be for student veterans to use during regular hours at the Burge Union.
Felix Zacharias, Wichita senior and president of the organization, said the lounge would be an area on campus for veterans to call their own.
“There’s not really a place designated for veterans to meet and study on campus,” Zacharias said. “It’s a place where they can get away and be around each other.”
Though the opening ceremony is today’s only formal event, observation of the holiday began late last week.
At 7 p.m. Friday, cadets from the four ROTC branches came together to hold their annual 24-hour Veterans Day vigil. Pairs of cadets took hour-long shifts guarding the World War II, Korean and Vietnam war memorials.
Clinton Eye, Lansing sophomore and Air Force ROTC cadet, said the vigil was one of the only instances during the year the Army, Air Force, Naval and Marine ROTC programs came together.
Eye spent the entire 24 hours volunteering in the Air Force lounge of the Military Science Building.
“It’s about a 26-hour shift in all for me,” Eye said. “It’s not too bad, but I did doze off for a few minutes between the hourly changes.”
Brea Short, Heston freshman and Air Force ROTC cadet, stood in front of the Campanile Korean War memorial for the 10 to 11 a.m. shift Saturday. She said standing guard while people walked and drove by was stressful, but her hour-long shift was worth every second.
“It got pretty painful standing out there while people stopped and stared,” Short said. “But it was nothing compared to what war veterans have gone through.”
In addition to the vigil, Mecadon and other ROTC members helped direct the Veterans Day 5K Race through campus and marched in the Ottawa Veterans Day Parade. About 25 cadets participated in the parade.
“The whole town seemed to be out there,” Mecadon said. “They were really into it. There are good things going on in that town.”
To wrap up the week, ROTC cadets will team with the Dole Institute of Politics to host “A Tribute to Veterans: USO Style,” on Saturday night at the Dole Institute. The program, which is specifically for veterans, will feature a salute to the veterans, live music and dancing.
Mecadon said he was looking forward to working at the event.
“I try to take advantage of any opportunity that I can show support for great people and what they do for our country,” Mecadon said. “Lots of people have spent their whole lives fighting to have what we have. It’s important that they aren’t forgotten.”
— Edited by Abby Olcese
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