KSU will salute America’s veterans at an event featuring a keynote address from a Medal of Honor recipient on Thursday, Nov. 7 at noon on the Campus Green.
The event will honor veterans and raise awareness for KSU’s large veteran population. Key- note speaker Retired Army Na- tional Guard Col. Donald Ballard received the Medal of Honor, the highest award for bravery, after risking his life under heavy fire to save wounded Marines in the Vietnam War in 1968.
Ballard’s message about sac- rifice will resonate with the KSU community, said Bob Mattox, assistant dean of Student Success Services.
“It may not be life or limb, but we all make sacrifices for others,” Mattox said.
Having Ballard speak at the event is “significant” because people rarely have the chance to meet a Medal of Honor recipient, said Justin Kurtz, president of KSU’s Semper Fi Society.
In addition to Ballard’s keynote speech, the event includes the blessing of the flags cer- emony and an announcement of U.S. military engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan and KSU-affiliated losses associated with each engagement.
Mattox said the event will be “very touching, but also very educational.”
The student-driven event involves KSU’s Army ROTC Club, Student Veterans Association, Semper Fi Society and the Veter- ans Resource Center. Jonathan Dotson, vice president of the Semper Fi Society said having the event on campus is impor- tant because it shows “gratitude and appreciation” to the many veterans who are KSU students, faculty and staff.
At last year’s Veterans Day event, President Papp said KSU is “proud to be recognized as a military-friendly school,” and that he hopes KSU will be even more military friendly in the future.
Frank Willis, director of the Veterans Resource Center, says KSU is becoming more military friendly every day and this event will continue that. “Anytime you have a ceremo- ny, there is more awareness and understanding,” said Willis, adding that he hopes to see more involvement and participation in the ceremony each year.
Kurtz, Willis and Dotson agree that the best way to contribute is to “show up!” The ceremony is a reflection of the sacrifice veterans have made, Willis said, and the community can support and honor veterans by taking part in the experience.
