[music plays] Rameen: City Spotlight is supported by Consolidated Communications.

CCI is honored to salute the cities and their leaders in the area, as well as providing TV, Internet, and phone service for the local homes and businesses.

We live where we work, and are proud to support the communities we serve.

More information available at consolidated.com.

Hello and welcome to City Spotlight.

We're continuing season nine here as we present this episode to you in the latter half of November.

In this episode, we're going to present services held on Veterans Day 2022 in the communities of Charleston and Mattoon.

First in Charleston we'll have Veterans Day Services taking place at Eastern Illinois University's Old Main.

Then we'll be outside in Mattoon along Broadway Avenue and at Peterson Park.

We salute all of our veterans as we present this Veterans Day episode in the communities of Charleston and Mattoon in season nine of City Spotlight.

Luke: Good morning everyone.

Welcome to the Eastern Illinois University's Veterans Day Ceremony.

I am your master of ceremonies, Cadet Luke Reeves.

This ceremony is to honor all veterans of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, both those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and to those with us today.

While World War I officially ended June 28th, 1919 with the scene of the Treaty of Versailles, the actual fighting ended seven months earlier.

The armistice went into effect in 1918 on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

Proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving by President Wilson in 1919, November 11th became a holiday in 1926 and a national holiday 12 years later.

On June 1st, 1954, Congress changed the name to Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans.

Today we ensure our veterans know we deeply appreciate the sacrifices they have made in their lives to keep the Tree of Liberty alive.

To begin our ceremony, please rise and render appropriate honors for the posting of the colors by the Panther Battalion and the singing of the National Anthem by Eastern Illinois University student Monica Alifantis.

ROTC: Left, come left, march.

Mark time, march.

Three, four.

Right face.

Colors pose.

Monica: (singing) ROTC: Forward march.

Left, right, left, left, left, left, right, left, left.

Mark time, march.

Luke: Please join me in a moment of silence and remembrance of our veterans today.

Please be seated.

Veterans Day comes to us with many traditions and symbols.

These symbols demonstrate our appreciation to our veterans and reminds us of their determination and pride in defending the United States.

A flag is a symbol of history, pride, and honor.

Our national flag is well known.

From legendary origins, the stars and stripes have flown the world on land, sea, and air, and has even been planted on the moon.

From 13 stars to 50, today we remember those men and women who have defended that flag and the people of laws that it represents.

To honor the veterans of all of the armed services, we have the flags of the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.

A flag may be only a piece of cloth in the breeze, but when used as a symbol, it embodies the storied history, current achievements and future promises of people.

The laying of a wreath is another symbol.

The word decoration comes from the Latin word decore, to adorn or beautify.

Flowers have traditionally been laid on graves and memorials in memory of the dead.

The laurel is a symbol of honor woven into a wreath by the ancient Romans to create crown victors and the brave.

Rosemary is associated with remembrance.

And since World War I, the poppy also recalls the service of our veterans.

Eastern Illinois University remembers our military veterans by placing this wreath at the base of our national flag at the end of today's ceremony.

It will be carried to the EIU Veterans Memorial by EIU student and veteran Angelo Soweki Wilder and EIU President Dr. David Glassman, in order to symbolize Eastern's commitment to its veterans, acknowledging their service and sacrifice.

At this time, please welcome our student speaker, Angelo Sowecki-Wilder.

[applause] Angelo: Hello there folks.

So my military service career has been pretty short, but like a lot of young Americans, I joined the United States military because I was lost and I needed some way to find my true self and my potential in life.

So I joined United States Army National Guard, and from there I've been able to learn discipline, selfless service, courage and commitment among other things to help establish a common place in this country of prosperity for all Americans.

And then I've been able to transition those skills with college and be able to take what I've learned from the Army and transition that into a civilian life and learn and taken to getting education at a college that's two level.

So with that, I also give thanks to everyone else that's ever served or supported the United States Armed Forces in any type of way, either with charitable acts of kindness to veterans or them themselves, giving the ultimate sacrifice in losing and having to lose their loved ones forever and going to a better place beyond this world.

Thank you very much for this honor of letting speak today at this ceremony.

[applause] Luke: Please welcome the President of Eastern Illinois University, Dr. David Glassman.

[applause] David: Good morning.

I'm Dr. David Glassman, President of Eastern Illinois University.

Before I get started, I want to say what a beautiful rendition that you did of the Star Spangled Banner.

[applause] Because of the pomp and circumstance of the moment you didn't get the recognition that I think you deserve.

It was so beautiful.

So thank you for that.

I want to thank everyone for being with us today, as we once again come together to honor the men and women who have so gallantly served this country.

In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, major hostilities in World War I came to an end.

On that day, Eastern Illinois State Normal school rejoiced alongside the rest of the world.

The first of the school's, volunteers for the US Army had enlisted on April 18th, 1917.

11 of the 17 young men in that class entered military service.

Eastern's Librarian at that time, Mary Josephine Booth, took a leave of absence to work for the Red Cross in France and Germany.

As a volunteer, she paid all of her own expenses, including travel, board and lodging.

She was the only faculty member to serve overseas during World War I.

All in all, more than 200 former students of Eastern's Model School and Normal school, as well as four former faculty members served in the armed forces during that four year conflict.

In 1919, U.S. President, Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.

Later in 1938, an act of Congress ordered the 11th of November to be recognized as an annual legal holiday, a day dedicated to the cause of world peace.

This day of remembrance is now known as Veterans Day.

It remains in place today to celebrate all veterans.

It is fitting that we too continue to commemorate Veterans Day at Eastern Illinois University.

EIU has a proud history of brave and honorable students, faculty and staff, some long removed from today and others who are here and now, who together have served their country as members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

In the fall of 1941, several 18 and 19 year olds from what was then the Eastern Illinois State Teachers College joined the enlisted Reserve Corps of the Army immediately subject to the call of active duty.

That call came on April 3rd, 1943 with about 20 of the enlistees leaving Charleston by train at 3:00 AM.

From 1941 to 1945, more than 1,400 Eastern students, faculty and staff, including 33 women who served as nurses, wax and waves, served in the military.

Among those who served was Major Carlos C. Ogden, class of 1941.

He received the Congressional Medal of Honor, America's highest military award for his conspicuous gallantry at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty for his brave actions on the morning of June 25th, 1944 near Fort Derule, France.

Although wounded himself, he advanced under access fire to silence two German machine guns that had pinned down his men.

In March of 1966, Tom Jennings, former defensive starter on the 1964 football team and a member of Sigma Tao Gamma fraternity became Eastern's first known casualty of the Vietnam War.

And in March of 1973, then EIU President Gilbert C. Fight held a reception honoring the 600 Vietnam veterans attending EIU.

Our Army Reserve Officer Training Court, ROTC classes, began on campus in 1980.

Since then, the EIU Panther Battalion has led to the commission of hundreds of young men and women into the U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard.

29 years ago on Veterans Day in 1991, I guess that would be not 30 years ago, 31 years ago now, Eastern paid special tribute to 25 of its students, faculty and staff who served in Desert Storm.

Those operations, along with the Iraqi Freedom and the War on Terrorism campaigns, have sent our servicemen and women to the shores of each of Earth's habitable continents.

There, these Americans selflessly continue to uphold and protect our country's freedom and safety while confronting crimes against humanity across the globe.

Today we pay our respects to the sacrifices of every veteran, including those throughout our nation's history and those members here with us today that allow us to enjoy moments like this.

EIU continues to support the freedoms of our country and its servicemen and women as we offer that citizens and the protections they selflessly assist and offer to the world.

This is why I stand here before you today as the nation observes Veterans Day to reiterate the importance of remembering the sacrifices and bravery of those who serve their country and who have served Eastern Illinois University throughout past wars and in times of peace.

We ask everyone to take a minute of silence at 11:00 AM today in respect to those gallant military servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our nation and our freedoms.

Thank you all for your contributions to our military services and for taking the time to join us today as EIU observes Veterans Day alongside the rest of the country.

Thank you.

[applause] Luke: We thank our veterans here with flags and words and remember our companions pass with symbols of remembrance.

Today's customary three volleys of shots fired in honor of deceased veteran probably originated as far back as the Roman Empire.

The Roman funeral right included calling volley three times while leaving the grave.

These three calls made natural the three musket volleys in more recent years, two warring sides would stop fighting in order to take care of their dead on the battlefield.

Three volleys announced that the burials were complete and the force was ready to resume battle.

Of all the military bugle calls, none is so easily recognized or more apt to render emotion than Taps.

The music for Taps was adapted by Union Civil War General Daniel Butterfield for his unit in July of 1862.

And it continues to be used today for the end of the military day and end of a military life.

Please stand as the Army ROTC Panther Battalion sounds the three volleys followed immediately by Taps, played by EIU student Anissa Massery.

[gun salute] [playing of Taps] David: Thank you for your service.

Angelo: Thank you for your support.

[gun salute] [playing of Taps] Will: Is there any specific reason that you come out to honor the veterans on this day?

Ariel: I have a family packed full of veterans, so I come out with them and enjoy the parade.

Will: So what's the meaning for you, I guess been?

Ariel: For me, I'm honestly very proud to have a bunch of veterans in my family and I'm very thankful for their service.

Richard: I like supporting fellow veterans and today is a day of remembrance of fallen soldiers and fellow military guys and women.

I was in the Navy, served on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.

I done a tour over in the Persian Gulf with the Desert Storm.

We had 7,000 men on the ship, done flight ops all the time.

But I was one of the guys that were down below decks keeping the ship running and stuff.

And run the fire department also on the ship.

Will: How do you feel when you think back about your service?

Richard: Proud.

I'm glad I served.

Best thing ever happened to me in my life.

It was life changing because growing up a kid, don't have any plans for future, college wasn't an ideal thing for me and if it wasn't for the service, I wouldn't have met my wife and had a family.

So it turned out really well for me.

We both served over in the Persian Gulf and Desert Storm.

We came back to the states, both of us stationed in Alameda, California.

Her ship was on the same pier as mine.

We sat side by side.

We had mutual friends and then we just started hanging out and going to the movies and stuff.

And it turned out great and we'd been together 30 years and we have a great family.

So I got seven grandkids and two two daughters.

Will: You have your whole family out here.

You're a veteran and it's a family thing out here in the parade.

How does that make you feel?

Richard: It's one of the best days that I like celebrating of the year.

It just means a lot to me.

It reminds me of the corral that we get when we're in the service.

You get your buddies.

My family's my buddies now, so I really like it.

And then our son-in-laws and stuff, they're here.

So it's pretty cool.

George: Yes, I always enjoy this parade.

Always enjoy getting here with the veterans and stuff, it's always a good deal.

Well, it's good to see this because it teaches the younger people what went on before them.

A lot of younger people today don't really remember that.

They don't feel as patriotic as a lot of us older people do.

[parade sounds] Will: What's the importance of this day to you personally?

George: Well, to me it gives me a chance to remember a lot of people.

[parade sounds] Elizabeth: My whole family is very military.

My dad was in, my mom was in, most of my uncles are.

So it's just a day for me to more appreciate them and that they're still around.

Richard: Just the training and the friendship.

I've reconnected with some of my navy buddy Navy buddies.

It's been 30 years and we finally got back together and so it's been really great.

So we meet up different places all over the United States every year.

So it's pretty cool.

[patriotic music playing] [drum sounds] Both of my daughters work for the schools, one in the Riddle Elementary and the other one, Williams Elementary, and done a Veterans Day both places yesterday.

Fantastic.

I couldn't ask for anymore and those kids, they were just exceptional.

And for them to sing the different songs for each service was just fantastic.

And then the parade at the end, the kids lined the hallways and they constantly thank you and hand you letters and that meant a lot.

But both schools did an excellent job yesterday.

Thanking us for our service, it's a nice gesture.

It's nice being recognized.

I get thanked all the time.

It makes you realize you gave your life for your country and you were willing to make that sacrifice and by them saying thank you, that it means a lot.

And then just day to day recognition, it's not even on Veteran's Day, it's every day.

Wherever I go, people, they're nice.

They'll buy you a drink, you go into a gas station, they'll buy your coffee.

And we don't ask for that.

It's not something that we're like, "Hey, I'm a veteran, you got to buy me something."

No, there's so many people in the community that's very appreciative.

But it's nice.

It's a nice gesture.

It means a lot to me.

I just want to thank all my fellow veterans and active military for doing what they did, serving their country and given that sacrifice.

And for all the fallen military members of all branches.

I lost a few buddies, but just pray for them and be there for them.

[playing of Taps] Rameen: City Spotlight is supported by Consolidated Communications.

CCI is honored to salute the cities and their leaders in the area, as well as providing TV, Internet, and phone service for the local homes and businesses.

We live where we work, and are proud to support the communities we serve.

More information available at consolidated.com.

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