Aggies gear up to celebrate Veterans Day through Veterans Resource Office

Veterans Day is a holiday where veterans are honored, and the Veterans Resource Office hopes to help Aggies do just that. The VRO will host multiple events on Veterans Day to honor veterans.  

Tanner McCurdy is a work-study student at the VRO and vice president of the USU chapter of the Student Veterans of America. 

McCurdy said it’s important USU celebrates Veterans Day to honor veterans at the school and across America. 

“A lot of people kind of forget about that day being set aside for veterans to honor what they have sacrificed for the country itself,” McCurdy said. “I think it’s good as a college to represent that through events and setting aside specific time frames for that.”  

Elmer Rayes is a work-study student at the VRO. 

Rayes said these events help veterans feel they have support. 

“These events definitely build a sense of community for veterans,” Rayes said. 

The first event will start at 6:50 a.m. on Veterans Day. An Air Force formation will be held on the Quad, with remarks by Lt. Col. Mark Hodges. 

7:00 a.m. will mark the beginning of the POW/MIA 24-hour vigil held on the Quad by the Air Force ROTC cadets. Luke Halling will play taps, the bugle song used to signify the end of the day or hours to be quiet and to honor service members who have passed.  

A Veterans Day commemoration lunch featuring Brig. Gen. Stephen E. Slade will be hosted from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the TSC International Lounge. 

“All student veterans can attend for free, and anyone who is not a veteran is welcome to attend,” Rayes said. “There will be a $5 fee for anyone who is not a veteran.” 

Following the luncheon, there will be a retreat at the TSC flagpoles at 4:30 p.m., put on by the Army ROTC and trumpeter Luke Halling. 

The Veterans Day concert will wrap up the day at the Daines Concert Hall. It will be put on by the American Festival Chorus and USU Symphony Orchestra. Tickets can be bought at the USU Ticket Office website or the Caine College of the Arts Box Office. 

The VRO will host other events on the days surrounding Veterans Day.  

There will be a virtual wall of honor up from Nov. 7 – 18 to honor USU community veterans.  

“This is meant to highlight some of the veterans,” Rayes said. “They submit a photo and some information about themselves so that everyone can see and learn about them.”  

There was also a veterans appreciation men’s basketball game against Charlotte on Nov. 9 in the Spectrum. 

The last event hosted by the VRO will be the veterans appreciation football game and tailgate on Nov. 16.  The tailgate will begin at 9 a.m. in the Maverik Stadium parking lot. 

McCurdy said the tailgate will be a great opportunity for veterans to come together and socialize. 

“We have food available and veterans can socialize at the tailgate,” McCurdy said. “It is a great way to interact with the veterans and help the students see what the student veteran population consists of.” 

The veterans appreciation football game will begin at 1 p.m. USU will play against Hawaii.