Today is Veterans Day, a holiday dedicated to appreciating the labors and sacrifices of those who have served in America’s military, as well as honoring the memory of those lost in the nation’s conflicts.
In honor of veterans who are either current students or Alumni at MSU, the MSU Student Veterans of America chapter held a Veterans Day Breakfast in the Huntington Club at Spartan Stadium this morning. The event — the first of its kind held by the chapter — featured a catered meal and guest appearances by MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon and Ret. Brigadier General Michael C.H. McDaniel, former Assistant Adjutant General for Homeland Security for the Michigan National Guard.
“Today is a celebration of your service,” Simon said in a speech.
“Today is also a celebration given (MSU)’s unique role, and our responsibility to make a difference in the world in a variety of ways. It is to celebrate all these other aspects that go with military service. That you all, as veterans, bring back to our campus.”
Hosted with help from ASMSU and the Student Veterans Resource Center (SVRC), the Veterans Breakfast is the first annual event planned by the chapter.
"A lot of times with student veterans, they’re more experienced, they’re more disciplined and organized and older than other students, but sometimes they’ve lost their idealism,"
Ret. Brigadier General Michael C.H. McDaniel
“We’re really just starting to branch out and reach out to the community,” Nick Babcock, President of Student Veterans of America MSU chapter and an animal science senior said.
Babcock and his father Greg, then a Major and now a Lt. Col, both served with McDaniel. Babcock worked homeland security and counter-drug missions for McDaniel while serving with the National Guard, and assisted law enforcement during Hurricane Katrina.
“Our mission goal for this year would be to bridge the veteran community, as faculty, students and staff, at MSU,” Babcock said.
The chapter, founded in 2009, has become more active and involved within the last year. Members of the chapter worked with MSU officials to found the SVRC this spring.
“We’ve really built up the club a lot this year,” Treasurer of the chapter Colin Riley said. “Last year, when I started, it was working from the ground up.”
Riley, a media and information second-year junior joined the Navy out of high school.
“I thought (the event) was fantastic,” McDaniel said. “I thought it was very indicative of the spirit of service, of helping other, and professionalism that MSU is known for.”
McDaniel, currently a law professor at Western Michigan University and whose daughter Hillary is a law student at MSU, spoke on his experiences with the military in his speech. He encouraged the veterans in the audience to continue serving their country, whether through armed forces, law enforcement, fire science, or any kind of public service.
“A lot of times with student veterans, they’re more experienced, they’re more disciplined and organized and older than other students, but sometimes they’ve lost their idealism,” McDaniel said.
The Student Veterans of America MSU chapter is in the process of remaking their website and has no current webpage. Information on the Veteran’s Center can be found here.
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “MSU war veterans honored at Veterans Day breakfast ” on social media.
