SMC Honors their Veterans

North High JROTC members present The Colors to begin the “Honoring Veterans from Veterans” event in the Santa Monica Main Campus quad located in Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. Photo by: Rosangelica Vizcarra

Fred Zimmerman, Veteran of the U.S. Navy, stands during the Pledge of Allegiance during the “Honoring Veterans from Veterans” event in Santa Monica Main Campus quad located in Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. Zimmerman was in-between Korean and Vietnam serving as an Electric Technician. Photo by: Rosangelica Vizcarra

The Missing Man Table representing fallen, missing, or imprisoned military service-members is on display during the ceremony. During the Veterans Day “Honoring Those Who Served” at Santa Monica College Main Campus, by the quad, Santa Monica, Calif. On Thursday Nov.9, 2017. Photo by Emeline Moquillon.

US Air Force Captain Brittany Campbell engages the audience with some difficult memories on the field. The Veterans Day ceremony, “Honoring Those Who Served”, at the Santa Monica College Main Campus, by the quad, Calif. On Nov.9, 2017. Photo Clyde Bates

Veterans Day

The audience listens to veterans’ speakers during the Veterans Day ceremony, “Honoring Those Who Served”, at the Santa Monica College Main Campus, by the quad, Santa Monica, Calif. On Thursday Nov.9, 2017. Photo by Emeline Moquillon.

US Air Force Captain Brittany Campbell engages the audience with some difficult memories on the field. Campbell is the first guest speaker during the Veterans Day ceremony, “Honoring Those Who Served”, at the Santa Monica College Main Campus, by the quad, Santa Monica, Calif. On Thursday Nov.9, 2017. Photo by Emeline Moquillon.

Standing speaker, US Army Veteran Jennifer Campbell, next to (L. to R.) the President of the Student Veterans Association of Santa Monica, US Air Force Veteran Beau Espeso, US Air Force Captain Brittany Campbell and the Veteran Student Speaker from the US Marine Corps Noe Aguirre. During the Veterans Day ceremony, “Honoring Those Who Served”, at the Santa Monica College Main Campus, by the quad, Santa Monica, Calif. On Thursday Nov.9, 2017. Photo by Emeline Moquillon.

Noe Aguirre, current Santa Monica College student veteran speaker at the “Honoring Veterans from Veterans” event, poses for a portrait in the Santa Monica Main Campus quad located in Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. Veteran Sergeant Aguirre served in the Marine Corps from 2007-2013 he was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan during his time. “Veterans are too busy trying to fit into the norm, but we aren’t normal anymore” stated Veteran Sergeant Aguirre. Photo by: Rosangelica Vizcarra

Noe Aguirre holds up his cover to show off his different types of pins he’s received from different organizations in the Santa Monica Main Campus quad located in Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, Calif. Veteran Sergeant Aguirre volunteers at “Meals on Wheels West” in which he helped develop a veteran program alongside Meals on Wheels West director, Chris Baca, to provide meals for veterans for free. “We are excited [for this new veteran program] because we aren’t only feeding the older veterans that are homebound, but we are also feeding younger veterans who don’t leave their house due to their disability of depressions, PTS (Post-thrombotic syndrome), TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), or mobile disability.” Photo by: Rosangelica Vizcarra

After the Ceremony, US Army Veteran Jennifer Campbell and US Marine Corps Noe Aguirre sharing a moment. Veterans Day ceremony, at the Santa Monica College Main Campus, by the quad, Santa Monica, Calif. On Thursday Nov.9, 2017. Clyde Bates.

Riflemen and flag-bearers marched onto Santa Monica soil, holding the United States flag and the flag of the California Republic. One of the members issued the order to present arms. The California flag then sank to an angle, as another member headed to the podium and performed the National Anthem. As the anthem ended, all in attendance rose from their seats and stood in salute to perform the Pledge of Allegiance, finishing the yearly tradition of honoring both the US and its veterans.

On Friday, Nov. 9, 2017, the SMC Student Veteran's Association held a Veteran's Day Ceremony. The event was mainly a prelude to the various events the veterans would attend.

The focus of the ceremony centered around the guest speakers: Air Force Capt. Brittany Stackhouse, U.S. Army Veteran Jennifer Campbell, and student speaker Noe Aguirre, a U.S. Marine Corp Veteran.

Each shared their stories of being in the military, the reasons why they joined, the hardships both past and current vets face, and the experience of being a veteran. They all inspired not only the veterans, but also the students in attendance. The veteran also reminded everyone that the sacrifices both past soldiers and current made to protect their country mattered.

Attending veterans also shared their own sentiments as to what Veteran's Day is and what being a veteran means to them. Frank Soto, a Vietnam War veteran who served two tours, believes that, "It's a source of pride, because when I was a young man, I didn't appreciate some of the things I did. It wasn't until after I got old."

Even one of the speakers, Jennifer Campbell, shared her thoughts on Veteran's Day, "It's something that I really enjoy spending with other veterans and that's become really important." Campbell said. "I've really seen, as I've gotten older, the benefits of what being a veteran really is, and the camaraderie that comes with that, and the kind of beauty of being a veteran is that everybody has a different story and you get together."

As the ceremony closed, young and old veterans in attendance began to meet and discuss their experiences and headed off to what SMC had to offer for them.