by Samantha McClain

Editor-in-Chief

On Nov. 11 at White Hall Auditorium, NWACC hosted a Veterans Day program to honor veterans.

The Veterans Day program started with Dianna Yoakum, the director of veteran services, and NWACC Chamber Singers sing the national anthem.

Carrie Wilks, NWACC veteran alumni, who served in the U.S. Air Force, led in prayer and read out the verse Romans 8:38. “Let every veteran in the armed forces feel truly honored…,” Wilks said.

NWACC President Dennis Rittle served in the U.S. Air Force and talked about his experience in the military. He spoke about the theory of servant leadership and humility. “At the end of the day, the military teaches you how to have a healthy amount of humility,” Rittle said, “Humility is not about thinking less of yourself… 

Humility is thinking of yourself less of the time.” Rittle then received a challenge coin at the end of his speech.

According to customchallengecoins.net, a challenge coin is a designed coin given to someone to confirm membership in an organization/group. It is also used to honor a person for a notable achievement, an anniversary, or a special event.

“Serve means sacrifice. A sacrifice comes in different forms. From time away from our families, the countless hours of training, to blood, sweat and tears we’ve all given, even one’s own life,” said James Peeler, NWACC veterans student assistant who served in the U.S. Marine Corps.

The NWACC Chamber Singers, DJ Bauhaus, Caige Beard, Haley Carter, Jadzia Craft, Helem Gomez-Jimenez, Juana Araujo Martinez, Mercy Morgan, Genaro Reyes, and Kate Thueson, sang “For the Fallen.”

The next event that took place was called the White Table Ceremony. The White Table Ceremony is used to remember and symbolize the veterans who were prisoners of war and missing in action. Alex Frann, spouse of Matt Fann, who served eight years in the military, listed off the items on the table onstage and explained each item’s symbolism. 

There was a chair and a table on stage to represent different aspects of the solemn ceremony. One chair expressed veterans missing in action. The white tablecloth that covered the table represents the purity of intentions to respond to their country’s call to arms, and a vase with a single rose meant for the family and loved ones of the veterans. A yellow ribbon represents the thousands of veterans appropriately accounted for and the everlasting hope for the reunion. The candle light symbolizes the reach of unconquerable spirits. The lemon slices on the bread plate represented the bitter fate of the men, and the salt represented the tears of family members. An inverted wine glass means that there will be no toast, while the empty chair represents an unknown face that is not here with everyone.

After the White Table Ceremony, the trumpet sounded after announcing the members of the military who were no longer with their family and friends.

The closing performance concluded with NWACC chamber singer soloist Thueson, who sang “God Bless America.”