ASU honors veterans

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Laura R. McFarlane
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
SAN ANGELO, Texas --  The Angelo State University Carr Squadron of the Arnold Air Society, the Silver Wings professional student organization, and ROTC Detachment 847 hosted a Veterans' Vigil, Nov. 13. The vigil honors 30 ASU graduates who gave their lives for their country during World War II and all former and current service members at the ASU campus.

The evening began with a retreat ceremony at the flag pole in front of the ASU administration building immediately followed by a candlelight vigil at the Oak Grove Memorial.

Lt. Col. Pedro E. Matos, ROTC Detachment 847 Commander, spoke during the retreat, and retired Colonel (Dr.) Robert Ehlers, ASU professor of security studies, was the guest speaker during the candlelight vigil opening ceremony.

Ehler's spoke about veterans and their worthiness of the thanks they receive from Americans.

"They place higher things, country, constitution, freedom, other Americans above themselves," said Ehlers. "They make the difference in keeping the country free. Not a difference, the difference."

Ehler's went on to mention the sacrifices veterans and their families make.

"They do so at substantial personal risk and cost," said Ehlers. "Their families generally pay a very high price as they share and support the veteran's burdens."

Ehler's ended his speech with a reading of the 'It is the Soldier' by Charles M. Province modifying the word 'Soldier' to 'veteran.'

Following Ehlers' speech, Joe Conelison, a Vietnam veteran, laid a wreath at the memorial in remembrance of Sept. 11.

The ceremony ended with the presentation of the guard, an emulation of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and the first memorial reading of the evening by ASU cadets that included short biographies, letters written to or by family members or poems written in memory of the ASU alumni veterans. After each cadet finished a reading, they placed a rose upon the memorial and lit a candle in remembrance. The readings took place every ten minutes until midnight.