Veterans Day event at RCC honors, remembers all who served
Robeson Community College took a moment to pause today to remember, reflect, and honor all Veterans who served, answering the call of duty in the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard, United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Army National Guard, United States Space Force, and respective reserves.
“We are reminded of the ultimate sacrifice made by so many,” stated RCC Vice President Dr. Johnny Smith as he gave the invocation and welcomed those attending the ceremony. “Surround them with support and care and give them the strength to face each day with hope and courage… help us to honor their legacy by striving for peace and justice in our world.”
Dr. Stan Elliott, the interim Vice President of the RCC Foundation, who grew up in what he called a “Marines household” said, “Today, we gather to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice… we recognize the sacrifices you and your families have made for the freedom of our country… we want to thank you for everything that you continue to do.”
The ceremony included the singing of the National Anthem, the laying of the wreath at the flag, and the playing of Taps. The winner of the Veteran’s Day Poem contest was also announced. Lakyn Jacobs took first place in the competition, winning a $50 gift card presented by the Commander of Post 42, Raymond Hunt, and was given an opportunity to read her winning poem aloud “To the Promise Lands Heroes.”
“From land to air to sea,” Lakyn read aloud. “Serving here and abroad, the brave and true serve for me and you… they leave their home to protect their promise land… they are just like me and you… we come together to honor and remember them and their sacrifice… we can never repay the debt that they paid.”
As the event took place in the Military Affiliated Resource Center, also know as the MARC, Sherry Lofton, who organized the event, drew everyone’s attention to the Missing Soldier Table located in the back of the room.
“It has many items upon it that represent different things,” Lofton said as she explained the symbolism. “The table is round to show our everlasting concern for our missing men, the cloth is white symbolizing the purity of their motives when they answer the call to serve.”
The single red rose, Lofton said, reminds us of the lives of those Americans and their loves ones and friends who kept the faith while seeking answers, and the red ribbon symbolizes our continued determination to account for our missing.
“A slice of lemon reminds us of their bitter fate, captured and missing in a foreign land,” Lofton said as she continued listing the items on the table. “A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears of our missing and their families who long for answers and the candle reflects our hope for their return, alive or dead.”
Lofton pointed out that the Bible on the table represented the stripe gained through faith, to sustain us and those lost, as our country was founded as one Nation under God.
“The glass is inverted symbolizing the missing soldier’s inability to share a toast with us and the chair is empty,” Lofton said. “The seat remains unclaimed at the table.”
Master Sergeant Raymond Hunt served as the keynote speaker of the event, delivering remarks about what it means to be a Veteran.
“We don’t do it for the recognition,” Hunt said. “A Veteran, whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserved, is someone who at one point in his life wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for the amount of and up to including his life… This is an honor.”
“I’m proud to be a Veteran,” Hunt said. “I served right at the edge of 30 years and I did so with honor…You ask the Veteran, ‘Would you do it again?’ and just about every person in this room would tell you, ‘Yes, I would.”
Hunt went into the history of Veterans Day.
“It wasn’t always known as Veterans Day,” Hunt said. “It was always distinguished in origin. It was the 11th month of the 11th day of the 11th hour in 1918 when the Armistice Day in Germany went into effect and on November 11, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson issued a message to his countrymen on the first Armistice Day.”
“At the urging of a major US Veteran Organization, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954… to us in America, the reflection of Armistice Day would be filled with solemn pride and the heroism of those who died in service to our country, with a gratitude of victory.”
Hunt asked those in attendance to help make a difference in the life of a veteran, noting the high suicide rate.
“Be the one, be the one to help save our Veterans,” stated the keynote speaker, Master Sergeant Raymond Hunt. “Lend an ear when you can.”
President Singler concluded the ceremony by saying, “Freedom is not free, therefore to those of you who have served our veterans, who are with us today, thank you for your service… and although today will pass, you have many of us here who are thankful to you 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Thank you for your service. Thank you for making the ultimate sacrifice.”
At the end, Christmas Cards were made available for everyone to write a note of encouragement, thanking a Veteran for their service. The cards will be mailed and distributed to Veterans as a way to lift their spirits during the holiday season.
