SU hosts Veterans Day Ceremony
- Staff Writer
- 47 minutes ago
- 2 min read
As Salisbury University celebrates its centennial year, another celebration took place on Tuesday, Nov. 11: the annual Veterans Day Ceremony.
Veterans Day was first celebrated in the United States in 1954 and has been an annual national holiday ever since. Its purpose is to honor veterans of all branches of the United States Armed Forces.
The ceremony, held in the Great Hall of Holloway Hall, hosted four speakers and the University Chorale. It opened with remarks from Robbie Chin, program administrative specialist for Multicultural Student Services. Next, the University Chorale performed the national anthem. This was followed by brief but powerful remarks from Lillian Taylor, a Salisbury University communication major and member of the Army National Guard.
Maj. Gen. Janeen Birckhead shared a message about Veterans Day, its history and her own service. She was joined by Sgt. 1st Class Whyne and Capt. Annunziato. Together, they represented the Maryland Army National Guard. The Maryland Army National Guard has a long history, which traces its roots to the Maryland Colonial Militia, founded in 1634.
Chin took to the podium to share his personal experience with the Armed Forces. He shared how his father, an immigrant from China, rose through the ranks of the military. He shared a specific instance where many years ago his father's unit was in Bosnia and wouldn't be home for the holidays. However, he recalled waking up and seeing his father asleep on the sofa in the living room. He came to learn that his father had organized his unit's activities to wrap up before the holidays so they could all go home.
Sgt. 1st Class Whyne explained how he first joined the Maryland Army National Guard in 2010 after a friend suggested he go to the recruiting office.
"I didn't really know what I wanted to do, but I wanted to do something to give back...to my community and my nation,” he said. "I love the nation.”
Maj. Gen. Birckhead said it meant a lot to her to be the keynote speaker.
"I think it's important to be in every community, small and large and particularly communities where we get to touch students, and we get to touch faculty,” she said. "This is the perfect opportunity to do that while honoring the legacy of our veterans."
The Ceremony was an impressive display of diversity.
Maj. Gen. Birckhead, appointed by Gov. Wes Moore as the 31st adjutant general, is the only Black woman to lead a state's national guard. Sgt. 1st Class Whyne is Jamaican and has honorably served the United States for 15 years in the Army National Guard. Chin shared his story about what it meant to be a second-generation immigrant, and how being in a military family shaped his upbringing.
The overall message of the day was one of strength, resilience, unity and ultimately cooperation.
By JOSIAH COMFORT
Staff Writer