Campbell honors Veterans and active duty members with campus tribute

Students, faculty, staff, veterans and community members gathered in Campbell University's Academic Circle on Wednesday morning to honor those who have served and continue to serve the nation.

On what President William M. Downs called a "beautiful, magnificent" morning outside D. Rich Hall, the Veterans Day tribute featured remarks from Chief Warrant Officer (ret.) Jimmy R. Platter Sr.

The ceremony opened with a welcome and prayer from LTC Jason M. Behler, professor of military science. Campbell ROTC cadets then posted the colors, and the Campbell Brass Ensemble performed the national anthem and special music.

Downs traced the holiday from Armistice Day, which marked the end of World War I at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, to its 1954 renaming by President Dwight Eisenhower. He said the holiday now honors every American who has worn the uniform.

Downs then turned to Campbell's own surroundings.

"We are a military-friendly university, located in the heart of a military-friendly county in the most military-friendly state in the Union," said Downs. "That means that this day matters to our community in a personal and profound way."

Downs noted service members answer a calling rooted in love, not conflict. "Our service members do not put on the uniform out of a love for conflict, but instead they put it on out of a fierce, protective love for their neighbors, for their families, and for the freedoms that we all hold dear," he said.

He asked everyone present who has served in any of the six branches, including the Space Force, to stand and receive the community's thanks. "And far, far too often, we fail, or we forget to say thank you," Downs added.

A Campbell graduate's story of service

Platter earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Campbell before beginning a 30-year career in the U.S. Army. He retired at the rank of CW5, the highest rank for warrant officers, who serve as master-level experts in their fields. His specialty was logistics, and he spent the last 15 years of his career in Special Operations.

His decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal, and he is a graduate of the U.S. Army Airborne and Air Assault Schools. In 2015, he founded Extension Enterprise Group LLC, based in Fayetteville.

Platter opened by asking the audience to picture a family at an airport gate: a young service member about to board a plane, a spouse smiling through tears, a child too young to understand why a parent has to leave, and proud parents watching from a few steps away.

"Veterans Day is not simply about remembering military history," Platter told the crowd. "It's about recognizing people, men and women who laugh, worry, dream, and love just like we do."

He said those sacrifices, the missed holidays, anniversaries and family moments, are why the day matters. Platter urged people to acknowledge veterans in everyday life, even a stranger in a Vietnam veteran's or 82nd Airborne Division cap. "Just say thanks," he said. He also thanked the families who waited and kept households going.

"To every veteran here today, your story matters. Your sacrifice matters," Platter said. "And our gratitude must not end when this ceremony does."

Honoring veterans in the community

The ceremony closed with a prayer from Jason Tebedo, a retired Army major, who asked for peace for "those whose battles have not ended" and for strength for them "to ask for help."

"Lord, let our gratitude last beyond this ceremony," Tebedo prayed. "Help us notice when someone is struggling, make time to listen, and care for those who have given so much."

Veterans in attendance were invited to collect a pin and a small thank-you from Campbell's Department of Veterans Affairs, led by Director Amanda McRae, and to gather near the podium for a group photo.

A tradition rooted in Campbell's history

Veterans Day carries special meaning at a university with 55 years of military ties.

On Jan. 28, 1971, President Norman Adrian Wiggins chartered Campbell's first ROTC program during the Vietnam War, when many campuses were distancing themselves from the armed forces. Campbell added a satellite campus at Fort Bragg in 1976 and another at Marine Corps Air Station New River in 1987, which later moved to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

Today, Campbell remains the top private university in North Carolina for supporting service members, veterans and their families, according to Military Times.

The celebration continues

Campbell's Veterans Day observances continued throughout the day. Adult & Online Education and the Department of Veterans Affairs hosted an inaugural Veterans Day dinner for faculty, staff, student veterans, and active-duty members at the Oscar N. Harris Student Union, with about 30 attendees expected. Dean Nicole Winget, a U.S. Navy veteran, said the dinner was meant to start building a mentorship network for military-affiliated students and employees.

That evening, the Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony presented "America's 250th Celebration" at 7 p.m. in the Hobson Performance Center. The concert featured more than 140 musicians and included "For Our Heroes" and the Army Band's arrangement of "Salute to Service," which features all of the military branch theme songs.

The columns at D. Rich were also lit green through Nov. 11 as part of Operation Green Light, a national effort inviting communities to show veterans they are "seen, appreciated and supported."

Platter had ended his keynote with a charge to the crowd. "You answer the call to serve. Now let us answer the call to honor that service," he said. "Not just with our applause today, but with our actions tomorrow, and every day that follows."