This year, the week of Nov. 3 is being recognized as Veterans Week; the Department of Veteran Services is hosting events throughout the week to give remembrance to veterans along with celebrating active members of the military.
Friday, Nov. 8, there is a veterans program with guest speaker Dr. Michael O’Neill, director of public safety and retired sergeant major (Army Reserve). This will be followed by a performance from the Army Band, which will contain classical rock and R&B.
Saturday, Nov. 9th will begin with the Veterans Day Parade, starting at 10 a.m. from Lovelace Avenue and University Street continuing through downtown Martin. Following the parade will be the Missing Man ceremony. Ending the day off with the veteran’s luncheon being held at American Legion Post 55 (221 Central St., Martin, Tenn.).
“What began as a celebration of the Armistice following the Great War in 1918 now serves as a day when we come together to honor and pay tribute to all brave men and women who have served our country, selflessly dedicating themselves to protect the values and freedoms we hold dear. Veterans Day is not just another day on the calendar. It is a day of reflection, gratitude, and respect. It is a day when we take a moment to remember and honor the sacrifices made by our veterans, both past and present. These individuals have walked the path of duty, honor, and commitment, often in the face of danger, and they have done so without hesitation, without question, and without seeking personal glory. We must remember that the freedom and security we enjoy today have been secured at a price. This price has been paid in the form of long separations from family and friends, long scorching days and cold sleepless nights in foreign continents, and in some cases, the ultimate sacrifice of one’s life. Veterans have stood tall in the face of adversity and danger, knowing that their service was in the name of a greater cause—the preservation of our nation’s ideals and principles.
But Veterans Day is not just a day to remember those who have served in the armed forces; it is also a day to reflect on the values that our veterans have fought to protect. Our veterans have defended the principles of democracy, freedom, and justice. They have upheld the rights of speech, religion, and assembly. These ideals are not mere words on paper; they are the pillars upon which our nation stands, and it is our veterans who have served as the guardians of these principles.
Veterans Day serves as a reminder that we must not take our freedom and way of life for granted. It is a day when we acknowledge the debt we owe to those who have borne the burden of defending our nation. It is a day when we must express our gratitude to the veterans who have put their lives on the line to ensure our safety and security. It is a day to say ‘Thank you.’
Veterans Day is a day of unity, a day when we set aside our differences and come together as one nation. It doesn’t matter our political beliefs, our backgrounds or our personal histories. On this day, we are all Americans, bound by a common appreciation for the sacrifices of our veterans and the values they have defended.
In conclusion, Veterans Day is a day that reminds us of the enduring importance of service, sacrifice and unity. It reminds us of the debt of gratitude we owe to those who have served our nation and it challenges us to ensure that their service is never forgotten. Let us remember that the freedoms we enjoy today are not guaranteed; they are the result of the courage and dedication of our armed forces. Let us honor them, not just on this day, but every day, by living up to the ideals they have defended and by working to make our nation better for all.
Thank you to all the veterans, past and present, for your service and sacrifice. May we never forget the importance of Veterans Day and the enduring legacy of our brave servicemen and servicewomen.” said Veteran Services Coordinator, Jason L. Earley when discussing the importance of celebrating Veterans Day.
Earley began to describe how Veterans Appreciation Week has changed in recent years to better express their gratitude for veterans. Earley said, “When I arrived at the university in September 2019, the campus held the traditional Veterans program with a guest speaker and event dedicated to honoring veterans. This is a great tradition that many schools hold during this time. Veterans Day is not a recognized day off for the campus. During my last Army active-duty assignment at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana we developed different ideas to implement a Veteran Appreciation week. We did this because we led multiple campuses within our program and wanted to be sure we held events for everyone. I retired from active duty in 2019 and was selected as the UTM Veteran Services Coordinator shortly after. My assignment at BSU is where the initial idea stemmed from and my first Veterans Day on campus in November 2019, we implemented a program, and I held a veteran pep rally at Sharon Elementary. It built from there with the support of the faculty, staff, and students. The ROTC program also provided a great deal of support to build the week to what it is today. We now hold a 5k, a Veteran walk to honor Captain Morel, we visit the Humboldt Veterans home with cake and cadets, we hold the Veterans Bowl which is a flag football game of veterans’ vs cadets, and we maintain the veterans’ program, with a culminating performance by an Army band. In addition, the campus holds a military appreciation game which is a phenomenal event.”
Many students at UT Martin are currently serving out military contracts or are receiving benefits from a parent who served for the country. Earley said, “We currently maintain about 215 students in the fall semester utilizing benefits. This is made up of veterans and family members on transfer benefits. We maintain about 20 students utilizing Tennessee Strong or Federal Tuitions assistance. And we have additional student veterans not using benefits but still attending the university.”
UT Martin has also been leading the way to help veterans be able to afford to attend university. UT Martin pushed for legislative change that would allow anyone using VA to apply for in-state tuition at their university of choice.
With the week’s slate of events, it is still important to keep in mind why it is happening in the first place. Earley said, “Chances are most of the students, faculty, and staff know someone in their family or close to their family that served. Or the family endured the struggles of that military service, and this is a time to bring the campus together to acknowledge service regardless of ideology. Welcome them into the Skyhawk family and get to know them in this population. We do not want to be separated from other students. We want to learn from them as we embrace what it means to be a student. For me, it was an absolute honor to serve my country for twenty years. I knew very young that I wanted to serve and while in the military I began to understand the role academics played in my personal and professional goals. I enlisted with only a high school diploma. The Army provided me the opportunity to finish my associate, bachelor’s, and first of two master’s Degrees. It taught me leadership and how to be a valued citizen, parent, husband, and friend to others. It taught me about the significance of acceptance of others even those who maintain different ideals. A college campus is a place where we develop future leaders through challenging and learning from each other.
Once I retired, it became about achievement as a civilian to honor myself, my family, my faculty, and staff mentors, and those I served alongside during my military career. Even more important to honor those I knew who paid the ultimate sacrifice by not wasting opportunity. This was important to me, and I wanted to understand the possibilities for me now. I wanted to experience a university that accepted me for me. It was a challenge in the beginning to acclimate myself as a civilian. But this entire campus supported me and because of that support, I recently completed my second Masters in Sport Coaching & Performance. I am now one of 19 to be accepted to the 2027 cohort for my Doctorate in Global Sport Leadership.”
