November 05, 2019
Vigil honoring nation’s veterans begins Friday
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois University Carbondale this week will remember those who have served the country with a time-honored tradition that precedes Veterans Day on Monday, Nov. 11.
Nearly 100 cadets from SIU Carbondale’s Army and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) will honor those who served. The cadets will stand a silent vigil beginning at 11 a.m., Friday, Nov. 8 at the Old Main Flagpole, near Woody Hall. The ceremony is in honor of those who served the country and the fallen who have yet to return.
The guard will change every 15 minutes during the 24-hour period that ends at 11 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 9.
Originally known as “Armistice Day,” Veterans Day occurs every Nov. 11 in the United States. The day honors the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month that saw the end of World War I in 1918. Veterans Day became a national holiday in 1938. The day honors all U.S. veterans and the many sacrifices made in the preservation of our nation.
For more information on the vigil, contact Mary Kappel, office manager, U.S. Air Force ROTC, at 618/453-2481.