Vaughn Chapel was filled with the sounds of the song “National Emblem” as a crowd filed towards it for a Veterans Day ceremony Nov. 11.

As the clock ticked past 11:30 a.m., the program began.

The members 0f the crowd all took to their feet as the Panther Singers alongside the Bluegrass Brass Band performed the National Anthem to begin the event.

Following, several speakers came to the stage. Leading off these speakers was Crop Science Professor Timothy Durham.

“Technically I should not be standing before you giving this address. I am unworthy,” remarked Durham as he opened up the ceremony. “Many of my family members have served in the army, navy, and marines. My grandpa was an ordinance NCO in World War II, my great uncle was in Normandy, one of my cousins is a retired two-star general in the army.”

After opening his speech with why he got into the military, Durham elaborated on why he felt unworthy to be addressing the crowd.

“Today is Veterans Day,” he said. “The term veteran means a person who served in the active military, naval or air service and who was discharged or released from there in conditions other than dishonorable. This does not describe me. I’m a service man (with) no deployments under my belt yet. Nor do I have a coveted DD2-14 (separation papers).”

Durham then explained that while there is a day for those currently serving, it is not the same as what the event is celebrating, making sure to remind the guests of the difference.

“There is a triad of days that we celebrate. Let’s be mindful of the distinction,” he said. “Memorial Day honors Americans who die while in military service. It’s a day that allows us to remember our fallen heroes, god speed to those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Armed Forces Day honors those currently serving in the U.S. military, (and) Veterans Day honors military veterans. Today we pause to honor the extraordinary service of our vets, individuals who have bravely defended our nation and exemplify the values of duty, honor, and sacrifice.”

After Durham began the program and gave his speech, Chaplain Michael Little took the stage and brought the assembly together in a prayer dedicated to both God and the veterans that the holiday celebrates.

“Holy  gracious father we say thank you again for this day. We once again thank you for everything you’ve already done for us through our veterans–how you protect us and kept us safe, and you allowed us to be in a position, Lord, to be free. I ask that you honor those. Bless every family that has a veteran in it–my family, every family that is represented here today. I ask you to do all that you can do, give courage, strength and watch over and keep them safe as they keep America safe. As we honor this day, in the name of Lord and savior we thank you for this day and every day,” Little said.

Once Little had given his prayer, next up on the stage was President Mirta Martin, addressing all of the attendees and giving her thoughts on what Veterans Day is.

“Good morning and welcome home. I am so grateful to see all of you here today. Thank you for joining us as we come together to honor the remarkable men and women who have served our nation,” began Martin. “Today we gather as the Panther family to celebrate and to express our deep gratitude to those who have dedicated their lives to protecting the freedoms we hold dear, to our veterans here today, and to their families. We are so profoundly grateful for your courage, for your sacrifices, and for your unwavering commitment to safeguarding the liberties that make the United States a beacon of hope.”

Martin continued with the idea of the values that she believes veterans uphold and embody through themselves.

“As we reflect on Veterans Day, we remember that each person who has worn the uniform carries a unique story, a story of resilience, of service, of selflessness. Our veterans remind us of the profound power of unity and dedication to something greater than ourselves. Their service inspires us to strive toward our own ideals of integrity, of perseverance, of compassion,” she said.

She also brought attention to the families of veterans and how they should be included in celebrations and honors during the holidays.

“In the last twelve months, I have been reminded of their unique sacrifice,” stated Martin. “Some of you know that my daughter, who is a civilian, has been often deployed in service of what she calls to be her warriors. She supports the men and women of the military uniquely by designing the next generation of unmanned vehicles and devices to protect them. I have come to understand the sacrifice of those families because when we received a phone call, ‘It’s me. I’m leaving. I can’t tell you where I’m going, and I don’t know when I’m coming back.’ My heart sinks, as I suspect it sinks for every man, woman, child, and family member who themselves have heard those words. Not knowing where they are, not knowing when they are coming back, not knowing if they are coming back is horrendous, and the sacrifice is unique and great.”

Martin then closed out her speech by referencing the idea of selflessness that veterans seem to be effigies of, and how people can relate that to being Panthers.

“Veterans are the living essence of our college’s motto, ‘Not Self But Others’, so let us always remember to give thanks to God for their service and their sacrifice,” Martin said.

After Martin stepped off the stage, guest speaker Kenneth Golden, a retired US Navy commodore, came to the microphone to tell his story that began with Ferrum.

“If you are starting off in life, you are starting in a good place here at Ferrum, and that’s what happened to me,” he said.

Golden then told the story of his conditional acceptance into Ferrum and having to take an English and a math class to be able to attend–classes that he passed, allowing him to join the Ferrum family–a family that he believes sets up its members for success.

“Its significant that you start here, because this place gives you such a good start. The discipline that Coach (Hank) Norton brought in that we had was just incredible,” Golden said.

After his time at Ferrum, Golden received a letter telling him that he had been drafted.

At the time, he was going to school to be a jet mechanic. He said he was yanked from there, and the next thing he knew, a marine was yelling at him, calling him a piece of garbage, and to get out of bed. Even with all these events, Ferrum is still etched in his memory.

“Over those years of serving, I never forgot about this place,” said Golden.

Golden also spoke about losing some of his former teammates in the Marshall University airplane crash, saying that it was an event that he feels binds the Ferrum community together.

After that, he shifted to talking about that which unifies veterans.

“There’s something that binds us all together,” she said. “Something that I don’t want you to forget today, and I don’t want any of you to forget this because not only do we talk about the veterans and think about the veterans today, but the veterans are still alive. You need to understand what they still have–and that is the pledge: ‘I solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic and I will bear a true faith and allegiance to the same and that I will obey the orders of the president of the United States and the orders of the officer appointed over me according to regulations and the uniform code of military Justice. So help me God.'”

Golden said that even once a person is released, the oath still holds true.

Golden then left the stage and Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs Jason Powell stepped up to offer a few words to the gathered members of the audience.

“Ladies and gentleman, as you can see, heroes are all around us,” Powell said. “They may be a professor, a staff member in the dining hall, a housekeeper, part of the grounds crew, one of the senior leaders on campus, or a fellow student who sits next to you in class. Their service to this country has provided you the freedom that allows you to follow your dreams.”

Powell also gave recognition to the members of staff who are both active duty and veterans of the US military.

The active service members are Spencer Buse, freshman; Durham; and Tj Jala, senior.

The veterans recognized were Officer Jarret Barksdale, Stanley Jones, James Matthew Schaffner, Trustee Gregory Craddock, Chief Joseph Kelley, Bret Simmermacher, Francis Dymond, Andre Kidd, Benjamin O. Yates, Pamela Durbin Forrer, Trustee Judson Mason, William Joseph Forrer, Jr., Jason Plunk, Human Resources Specialist Aliyah Johnson, Media and Communication Professor Karl Roeper, and the police K-9 Erika.

After the recognitions, Martin once again came to the stage to bring a close to the event.

“Today I would like to invite each of you to feel a renewed sense of purpose as we carry forward the lessons that our veterans taught us, embodying the values and the sacrifices they represent,” she said.

She ended with one final thank you to the men and women who have served the United States as well as the people who support them.

“On behalf of the entire Ferrum College family, we wish to extend our deepest gratitude to our veterans and to their families,” she concluded.