To make sure all the veterans in our community know how much we appreciate them, we’ve planned some very special activities for 'Salute to Service', the week of November 8-14.
Though the official federal holiday of Veterans Day is observed on November 11 (marking the signing of The Armistice agreement that ended WWI), CUAA has several significant events planned on and around November 11 to honor both veterans on campus and in the local community.
“Though I’ve only been at Concordia a short time, I came here because it’s clear how much CUAA cares for the veterans on campus,” said Bryant Lepic, CUAA’s new veteran’s outreach coordinator. “And I hope everyone will come out and take part in at least some of the activities we have planned for Veterans Week on campus.”
RELATED: Meet Concordia’s new Veterans Outreach Coordinator
CUAA SALUTE TO SERVICE ACTIVITIES
Starting Now:
Purchase a star on the Blue and Gold Star Walk of Honor
For more than 100 years (since WWI), military families have used blue and gold stars to honor family members who serve. A Blue Star honors someone actively serving (or has served); a Gold Star commemorates one who was killed in action.
During Veteran’s Week, Concordia University Ann Arbor will be honoring veterans with stars placed along the Blue and Gold Star Walk of Honor, leading to The Moving Wall (see below). For $22, you can sponsor a star to honor someone you know. The $22 figure represents “22 A Day,” an estimate of the number of veterans lost to suicide, with all proceeds going to support Operation Barnabas.
Stars can be personalized with the name of the veteran you are honoring, along with the military branch and dates of service or killed in action date. At the close of Veterans Week, the stars will be yours to keep.
(Please note: The honor of a Gold Star is reserved for someone who was killed in action, not simply a veteran who has since passed away. Thank you for respecting this meaningful distinction.)
All Week:
Wall of Honor in “The Bunker”
Throughout the week, veterans and their loved ones are invited to visit “The Bunker,” CUAA’s new veterans’ space, to see the facility and add a piece of memorabilia to the Wall of Honor. This could be a unit patch, or their name tape, or anything at all they’d care to offer that represents their time of service.
Veterans Inspirational Art Show
12:00-4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday • Kreft Art Gallery
Throughout November, the Kreft Gallery will be hosting a very special exhibit, “Veterans Inspiring Veterans,” showcasing more than 100 works of art created by veterans.
The gallery opening for this show will take place on Tuesday, November 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Kreft Gallery. The event is free and open to the public.
Wednesday, November 10:
The Moving Wall: Opening Ceremonies
4:00 p.m. • Outside Earhart Manor
The Moving Wall is a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Concordia University Ann Arbor is blessed to have it on our campus from November 10-14. Though smaller in size than the original memorial, The Moving Wall makes much the same impact in terms of honoring the more than 58,000 service members who were lost in the Vietnam War.
After the opening ceremonies, The Moving Wall will be open for viewing 24 hours a day through Sunday morning, November 14.
RELATED: ‘Serving those who served with honor’—CUAA named Gold-level Veteran-Friendly School
Thursday, November 11:
Veterans Day Chapel with Huey Helicopter Flyover
10:30 • The Chapel of the Holy Trinity
Officially known as the Bell UH-1 Iroquois, the “Huey” helicopter was a staple of combat during the Vietnam War. It is estimated that nearly 12,000 helicopters crashed or were shot down during the war, resulting in the deaths of nearly 5,000 American pilots and crew members.
At 11:00 a.m. on November 11 (the day and time of the signing of The Armistice, the agreement that ended WWI), our veterans will be honored with a flyover by a Huey helicopter that actually flew during the Vietnam War.
Helicopter Rides
After the ceremonies, anyone interested can purchase a ride in the helicopter, with the proceeds going to help subsidize the cost of the flyover.
Concert: Seipp/Sheets Duo
7:00-9:00 p.m. • Chapel of the Holy Trinity
This unique duo, combining the sounds of brass, organ, and piano with unique, interactive video presentations, promises to deliver a Veterans Day concert like you’ve never heard before.
Saturday, November 13:
5K Run: “Jet for a Vet”
8:30 a.m. • Central Campus
Run through our beautiful campus to celebrate those who have served our country with honor! The cost is $15; all participants will receive a CUAA Veterans Week t-shirt.
Veterans Gala
Kreft Black Box Theatre
This invitation-only affair will be a special time to celebrate all of Concordia University’s student veterans and veterans on staff, as well as special guests from the community.
About Operation Barnabas
With the exception of the fees for helicopter flights, all proceeds generated from CUAA Veterans Week will be used to support Operation Barnabas, a ministry of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Through cooperation with church congregations, this important ministry seeks to accomplish three key goals:
- Care for Reserve chaplains and their families and congregations.
- Train and assist local congregations in the care, support, and outreach of all military-connected people in their congregations and their communities.
- Serve as a resource to other organizations that provide care to military-connected people.
“Our desire is to enable our congregations to lead their communities in welcoming these military families back home,” the website states. “They have borne the weight of repeated deployments, and we can prepare to receive them home in concert with local chambers of commerce, schools, and medical facilities.”
To learn more about veterans services at Concordia University Ann Arbor, visit the Veteran and Military Admissions page at cuaa.edu.
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