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Veterans remember the fallen

Lalo Rubio served most of his six year Army career in Germany during the Vietnam War. The one-hour Veteran’s Day program concluded with a prayer at La Verne’s Veterans Hall on Wheeler and Bonita Avenues Tuesday. / photo by Helen Arase
Lalo Rubio served most of his six year Army career in Germany during the Vietnam War. The one-hour Veteran’s Day program concluded with a prayer at La Verne’s Veterans Hall on Wheeler and Bonita avenues Tuesday. / photo by Helen Arase

Kellie Galentine
LV Life Editor

The grumble of motorcycles vibrated down the street as the Friends of the Fourth riders delivered the colors in the middle of the Veterans Day Program at Veterans Hall Tuesday.

The motorcycles rode up to the ceremony, with American flags blowing in the wind behind each bike as the sound of “Proud to be an American” echoed through the air.

The La Verne Lutheran High School Junior ROTC raised the American flag and the California state flag, and then master of ceremonies Mayor Don Kendrick introduced Lauren Jorgensen, Bonita High School student, to sing the national anthem.

Members of the University, veterans and community members gathered for the program to observe the importance of the Veterans Day holiday.

“This day is personal to us. We come here as veterans with memories of those comrades we served with who did not return, our loved ones who did not return,” said Joe Martinez, chief warrant officer and veteran of the U.S. Marines. “This country is a country of peace.”

The celebration began at 10:30 a.m. as the University community gathered at the Rock to pick up free t-shirts and assemble for a pride walk to Veterans Hall.

Veterans of Foreign Wars judge advocates Pete Garcia Jr. and Albert Aguirre salute during the National Anthem. Garcia is a Vietnam veteran, who served in the U.S. Marines; Aguirre is a Korean veteran, who served in the U.S. Army and was honored Tuesday with the Korean Ambassador for Peace Medal at Veteran’s Hall in La Verne. / photo by Helen Arase

Participants held signs and United States flags in appreciation of veterans on the walk to the corner of Wheeler and Bonita avenues.

The program began promptly at 11 a.m. when Kendrick, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, started with a call to assemble, followed by asking every veteran at the program to stand and be recognized. More than 25 veterans stood as the audience applauded their service in gratitude.

The moment that brought chills through the audience was the rifle volley salute performed by Veterans of Foreign War Post 12034, followed by a live bugle performance of “Taps” by Tass Duarte, a local Eagle Scout.

“I’ve actually lost a couple of buddies in the military and it really makes you reflect,” said Oscar Mauricio, junior biology major and student veteran of the United States Navy.

Another moment of reflection came as all of the veterans of the Korean War were asked to stand and be recognized.

Each was given a commemorative pin and a personal salute to their service.

“Blue Star Families,” or families with an active member of the military serving overseas, were also asked to stand and were recognized.

“I think Veterans Day is more personal when you attend an event like this,” Diana Towles, veteran student success coordinator, said. “It helps to understand what our veterans have been through.”

Towles currently works with all of the veterans on campus and aids them in finding success as students after serving the country in the military.

Currently, veterans on campus are working toward forming a club to unite themselves as a support system for one another, Mauricio said.

“I think just like everyone else, vets are their own niche, and there needs to be a presence of vets on campus,” Mauricio said.

For more information about programs for student veterans, visit sites.laverne.edu/veteran-affairs/.

Kellie Galentine can be reached at kellie.galentine@laverne.edu or on Twitter @kellie_gal.

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