By Erasmus Baxter
Election Day 2016 will offer a chance to recognize another group of people who have made a commitment to our country, a commitment that goes beyond running for office. From 12 to 1 p.m. on November 8, the AS Veterans’ Outreach Center will be hosting a Veterans’ Day ceremony in the Viking Union Multipurpose Room. The ceremony will be followed by an hour long reception with free food.
The event is being co-sponsored by the President’s office and will feature President Randhawa as a speaker. Other speakers will include Daniel Liddicoet, a student and current member of the United States Air Force Reserves, and Amber Cheremsak, president of Western’s Stars and Stripes club. Stars and Stripes “aims to provide the community with the opportunity to gain more knowledge about the US Military”, according to their club description on FaceBook.
Liddicoet and Cheremsak will talk about their experiences as dependants of veterans. Liddicoet will also talk about how he gives back to the community while serving in the reserves, according to Dominick Cordero, veteran community coordinator at the outreach center.
Cordero says he most excited to see the color guard present the flag.
“I haven’t seen one in such a long time,” he said. “I’m an army brat so I grew up with that stuff.”
The ceremony will also feature Western’s acapella group performing the national anthem, and a moment of silence to acknowledge that university stands on Coast Salish land.
“I’m curious how that will go over with the older crowd,” Cordero said. He pointed out that a number of indigenous people have served in the armed forces.
The Veterans’ Outreach Center is also open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. It offers help navigating VA benefits, a library with books related to the armed forces, and connections to community resources, including help with resume building and access to physical and mental health services.
They also host a meeting for vets on campus, called Drop Zone, every other Thursday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. in Old Main 365.
Photo courtesy of Anne Lowe // publicdomainpictures.net
