Today marked the 53rd Veteran’s Day Service event to take place at the UMC. CU serves as the official Colorado Memorial Center for those who have served and died in combat.
During the event, two plaques honoring fallen soldiers were unveiled. One listed all the names of Colorado soldiers who died in combat while in Afghanistan, 27, and the other was names of those fallen in Iraq, 75, since 2001.
The audience consisted of veterans who served as early as World War I and those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. There were also families of fallen soldiers and ROTC members, as well as community members.
Major David M. Rozelle was the featured guest speaker. Rozelle has served as an officer in the US army in various places around the world such as South Korea, Kuwait, Iraq and Washington DC. After being injured during combat and losing his right foot, Rozelle
ROTC students take the oath of enlistment in honor of Veteran's Day during a 2010 football game against the Iowa State Cyclones. (CU Independent file/Lauren Walter)
became the first amputee to return to active command on the same battlefield.
He currently serves as the professor of Military Science for Army ROTC at CU.
Rozelle thanked all the Veterans in the audience that have served and expressed the heart that it takes to be a US soldier.
“Missing holidays and special days is part of the sacrifice in serving the nation,” Rozelle said. “One thing remains the same, the heart of the American soldier.”
Kyle Sanchez, 22-year-old freshman international affairs, is in the ROTC at CU. He came to the event as a veteran who was stationed in Texas through the Air Force.
“I was a veteran for this; it was good to feel the gratitude from all these people and from the university,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez’s favorite part of the ceremony was Major Rozelle’s speech.
“Just knowing that he was an amputee and knowing that he chose to go back to combat shows his commitment to this country,” Sanchez said.
John-Ryan Dobbs, 29-year-old sophomore geology major, has also served for his country. He was stationed in Virginia and came to CU after he was released. His was also moved by Major Rozelle’s speech.
“I had no idea someone so noble such as himself was part of the university,” Dobbs said. “It’s pretty humbling when you think of that man’s achievements in the grand scheme of things.”
The plaques that were presented at the ceremony will be kept at the Veterans lounge at the UMC and will remain there on display.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Vanessa Harmoush at Vanessa.harmoush@colorado.edu.
