Meramec veterans reflect on service, appreciation
BY: TYRA LEESMAN
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Veteran’s Day fell on Sunday, Nov. 11 of this year, and was observed the following day. It is a national holiday for the public, observed to honor military veterans of all branches of the United States Armed Forces. Celebrations for the holiday often include parades, fundraisers, concerts, and restaurant freebies for those with a military ID.
STLCC’s Meramec campus held a “Veteran’s Day Flag Raising Ceremony” on the morning of Friday, Nov. 9 at the flagpole by the visitor parking lot.
“It’s heartwarming to see fellow students out there honoring vets like me,” said Airmen First Class Arthur Beal, an STLCC student who served in the United States Air Force in the 1970’s.
Veterans like Beal frequent the Meramec campus as full-time students, part-timers and alumni. Some faculty members also claim the honor of having served. Dr. Steve Collins, a professor on the Wildwood campus who taught at Meramec for over a decade served in the Air Force.
On Veteran’s Day, students with military background on the Meramec campus have even been sought out and thanked for their service by their civilian peers.
“This little lady from one of my classes stopped me in the hall and told me thank you. She remembered that I served in the Air Force in the 70s. She’d never really talked to me before. It makes you feel kind of appreciated,” said Beal.
Sometimes mistaken for Memorial Day, civilians may confuse Veteran’s Day with the national holiday observed for those service members who died in defense of the country. Veteran’s Day, however, is intended to thank those who served in the military and are still living. Many of these service members carry lifelong scars, both visible and invisible, from their dedication and service.
Meramec boasts a Veteran’s Affairs Office, which aims to help those who served transition from military life to student life. In addition to the Veteran’s Affairs Office, the Meramec campus has a student veterans club, co-advised by Associate Professor, Lieutenant Colonel (US Army) Michael Burke.
The Veteran’s Club does not exist just to be another club, but to help veterans adjust to life as students and civilians, and to help inform them of the resources, scholarships and support available to them.
“I’m extremely grateful for these veterans. They’re all over campus. I have at least three in my English class. They’re good people. My grandpa was in the Army. My fiancé is in the Navy. They did something brave and they sacrificed a lot. Time, distance from home, body parts, and sometimes friends. They should be honored, not just once a year, but every single day,” said Mariah Strauss, a Meramec student.
