Chancellor Sandra Patterson-Randles hosted the annual Chancellor’s Veterans Luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 11. The luncheon is a part of IU Southeast’s week-long festivities celebrating Veterans Day.
The luncheon was hosted in the Hoosier Room. Guests included faculty, students and local citizens.
The mayor of New Albany, Douglas England, gave a speech for the attending veterans.
England, who is an IUS alumnus from 1978, served in Vietnam from 1961 to 1965.
“Use this time wisely,” England said. “The GI Bill and the support is the country telling you ‘thank you.’”
England said veterans should also become involved in veterans programs to help support each other during the transition from service to college.
Patterson-Randles gave a speech commending the 200 veteran students at IU Southeast and also the campus’ attitude to achieve higher goals.
“All of our student veterans are truly a strong part of the campus and community,” Patterson-Randles said.
Aaron Neely; psychology freshman, vice president of the IUS Veterans Program and Navy veteran ranked E-6; gave a speech. In his speech, he observed the fallen soldier’s table, signifying the prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action.
Dale Brown; secondary education sophomore, president of the IUS Veterans Program and Army veteran ranked master sergeant; spoke at the luncheon about the positive reception of soldiers today compared to the times of the Vietnam War.
“I am happy to see that people have been able to separate the politics from the soldier,” Brown said.
Brown said the IUS Veterans Program was reformed in September, and it was given two grants in the sum of $17,000 by Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an organization based out of Indianapolis that funds student veteran organizations throughout Indiana. The organization assists in implementing policies and programs to help student service members and veterans in the transition from service to college.
Brown said $15,000 is being used for organization events. He said $2,000 was used to help set up the organization.
“We want to build a camaraderie between veterans on campus,” Brown said.
After the speech, Brown said any active, reserve, national or prior soldier, sailor, airman, Marine or family of an active serviceman or veteran can join the organization.
There is no joining fee and the organization is planning on acquiring an office in the Student Involvement Center by spring.
“We want to keep serviceman and veterans informed on what is going on on campus,” Brown said.
Brig. Gen. Arnold Gordon-Bray, guest speaker and deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Cadet Command, made a speech about the history of service in the U.S. and the current state of servicemen and women.
“George Washington was our first true veteran,” Gordon-Bray said. “He was a servant to the ideas of this nation.”
Gordon-Bray also spoke about the earned tradition of trust between the military and civilians.
“When I am told, ‘thank you for your service,’ by a civilian, I know that trust has been a long process, beginning with the first leader of the nation,” Gordon-Bray said.
Gordon-Bray said service can come in many different forms and a hero can be defined simply by an act of selflessness.
“The definition of a hero is relative to those being saved,” Gordon-Bray said. “Hero can be defined by a selfless service and doing more than their outcomes.”
Gordon-Bray said the positive reception of veterans coming back into their civilian life is because of the veterans that came before.
“Veterans have walked the walk and talked the talk,” Gordon-Bray said. “It has not been an automatic change, it has been a process.”
After the speech, Gordon-Bray, who has been serving for 31 years, spoke about the benefits of serving.
“The system is infectious,” Gordon-Bray said. “I realized that people were listening, that this organization respects me and I matter.”
After the luncheon, Patterson-Randles said she thought the event went well.
“I hope the students get to see the power of positive thinking from [Brig.] Gen. Gordon-Bray,” Patterson-Randles said. “After meeting him at Fort Knox, I recognized that he and I had the same hopes.”
Steve Mennemeyer, Army veteran, attended the event.
“It’s a learning experience that I hope students learn about the selfless service [Brig.] Gen. Gordon-Bray was talking about,” Mennemeyer said.
Brown said he hopes the luncheon let veterans know their sacrifice has not gone unnoticed.
“You can’t give them back the time,” Brown said. “I hope they feel that they were recognized
appropriately.”
By JESSICA MEYER
Staff Writer
jessmeye@ius.edu