With an opening rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, the new Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Carillon Park on Nov. 10, the day before Veterans Day.
BGSU President Rodney Rogers stressed the importance of serving the public good and the sacred duty of those in the military, and noted that the memorial features 112 names of active students and alumni who died while serving the United States military.
“We will always owe a debt of gratitude to our veterans and this memorial will serve as a special reminder of their unwavering service to these United States” Rogers said.
The dedication ceremony featured orange and white floral wreaths that were laid at the memorial, and the flag that was unfurled and raised at the inception of the dedication was the same flag presented at the memorial’s ground breaking ceremony on Sept. 5, 2019.
The five pillars sit next to Memorial Hall to symbolize the strong connection between the university and educating those in the military. The veterans memorial focuses on those who have served from World War II until those who have served in the conflicts in the Middle East today.
According to a press release from BGSU, the intent of the memorial is a place for reflection for those who are active members of the military and for current members of the BGSU community to understand military service.
“When we heard it was going to be a veterans memorial, I can say that we all felt touched that we would have such an amazing dedication so close to our building. Many of the cadets here have family members who are veterans, and feel grateful that they have something to look at to remind them of those in their families who have served” Army ROTC cadet Jewel Johnson said.
But not everyone shares the same opinion on the memorial and its symbolic nature amongst those serving and veterans.
“I feel conflicted about the memorial. To me it is just another sign that we are worshiping the military blindly. However, I know the history of what veterans from the Vietnam War went through when they returned. They were treated so horribly and maliciously. I am proud that they are finally getting the respect they deserve. Those men were drafted and had no choice but to serve. I had a choice to fight in the wars I was part of and when we returned we were awarded medals and came home to entire communities cheering for us. My experience after the wars was very weird” Julián Verdugo, a former army medic who served with the Infantry from 2006 to 2014 said.
There is a disconnect between those who have served or who are serving and the American public. Often, it may be difficult to bridge this gap of understanding between the two.
“I think BGSU could bring awareness to the fact that war is an evil aspect of American culture that we shouldn’t glorify. This isn’t easy to do when we send young boys and girls to fight in a war just to sacrifice their mental and physical health for a paycheck and a scholarship to college. However, this task would take generations to change. The vietnam soldiers were treated so poorly that America completely flipped the script and began idolizing and worshiping anyone that put on a uniform. It gives a false sense of superiority for members of the military and makes them think they are better than those not serving,” Verdugo said.
