The LBCC Veterans club commemorated the military personnel who are on active duty, who are veterans, or those who were killed in action, by having a Walk of Remembrance and by also setting up 22 boots in symbolism of the 22 veteran lives lost from suicide every day.
According to that statistic from the Veteran Affairs, that equals one veteran committing suicide every 65 minutes.
An M16 military rifle and helmet memorial was also there to signify and remember all those who died in the line of action while serving.
The event took place on the Thursday before Memorial day, which was the intention of the Veterans club.
Veterans Club Clerk Jonathan Lopez went into detail about the mission statement for the club on Memorial Day and the meaning for the photos that were put up.
“We are setting up for Memorial Day with all these flags and the photos are people who come to this school. The club sent out emails to Veterans telling them we are doing this event and if they have any photos of fallen vets, to send them to us so we can commemorate them as well,” Lopez said.
During the event, there were students who did not agree with the gesture that the Veterans club was doing. When they stepped forward to have a discussion with the clerks, the conversation got out of hand with the clerks arguing and getting louder and louder.
Veterans Club Vice President Ashley Smith expressed her frustrations towards the students and was offended at what they were saying about the whole commemoration.
“The club put up a memorial for fallen soldiers of all branches and those who are alive today. We had a young man who felt that this was not the correct way to memorialize these people and that we should take it all down and fight the issue directly. He was saying that we should end war and that’s the best way to handle things,” Smith said. “But what we were trying to get across is that this is not a political stand and it is for everyone who lost somebody and he just wasn’t understanding that this wasn’t the place to have this type of discussion.”
“It’s just really rough… unless you put on a uniform and done what you’ve done seeing your friend’s and comrades bodies laying around then you don’t understand the repercussions that it has when you stand in front of us and say the things that student said,” Smith said.
Though this incident caused some inconvenience for the club, there were students who still supported remembering those giving their lives so America can be as it is today.
“A lot of people think of Memorial Day as Veteran’s Day and that they are synonymous, but today is to remember those who have died,” LBCC student and veteran Chase Holzhauer said.
LBCC Student Philip Madrazo gave his appreciation for the United States Armed Forces and recognized the bloodshed it took for America to be free.
“It is never easy to decide giving your life for the freedom that America has. These military men and women are putting themselves in danger so that we can stand proud in the liberty we received. We owe it to the active duties, the veterans, and those part of the armed forces. I am thankful for what they have given up for the people,” Madrazo said.
Veterans of the armed services utilize the Veterans Club to help them get back into school on the right path in their education journey.
Student Jaime Limas also uses the club to connect with others that have been through same experiences.
“They (LBCC) opened a lot of resources to me and opened up what I should be doing,” Limas said.
“I felt the comradery. I don’t feel it unless I am around other veterans and while we all share unique experiences, we all come back together.”