Veterans Vigil begins with opening ceremony

The 19th annual Veterans Vigil got off the ground today with an opening ceremony in the Sam Rayburn Student Center. Local veterans, students, Commerce community members and A&M-Commerce staff and faculty were all in attendance. The event began with an opening reception and the posting of the colors by the Greenville High School NJROTC, during which Sgt. Aubrey England of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves sang the national anthem.

Following the invocation by Dr. Joseph Weber and a welcoming speech by Vice President for Business Administration Bob Brown, Commerce mayor Quay Throgmorton presented a proclamation from the City of Commerce.

"I've said at previous Veterans Vigils that the greatest Americans are those that serve in the American Armed Forces," Throgmorton said. "I believe that 100 percent."

Following a video that outlined the background of the ROTC, this year's focus of the Veterans Vigil, Director of Alumni Relations Derryle Peace presented the Veterans Vigil student chairperson Angelo Farias with the ASTP Memorial Scholarship.

"I think it is important to reflect on those who defend our country," Farias, a veteran and MBA student at A&M-Commerce, said. "I'm proud of the university for this turnout."

This year's guest speaker was retired Major General Chris Adams. Along with his extensive service record, numerous awards and Cold War expertise, Adams graduated from A&M-Commerce's AFROTC program early in his career. Adams discussed his career, the people he served with, his work with Cold War literature and American perception of national defense.

After the ceremony, the crowd moved outside to the site of the Vigil Flame, which was lit by Captain Richard Ellison. The flame will be guarded constantly in hour shifts until it is extinguished Saturday afternoon.